Felan Marine

Felan Marine - Compass Adjusters Sydney Cairns Australia

We are AMSA Licensed Marine Compass Adjusters located in Sydney and Cairns Australia. We service Sydney & environs, Cairns, Port Douglas, Mission Beach and other ports in Far North Queensland as well as Thursday Island and PNG.

Chris Felan is one of the Founding Members of The Australian Compass Adjusters Association. The Association is the peak professional body for Marine Compass Adjusters in Australia.

The value of the magnetic compass is that it is independent of all electronic navigational devices in a seagoing vessel. If a vessel's magnetic compass is not corrected when necessary it is of little use as a navigational aid, like a clock that no longer tells the right time.

It is the responsibility of the ship's Master to ensure that the magnetic compass deviation is checked and corrected when the relevant circumstances apply.

 

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The Role of the Marine Magnetic Compass Today

Today, setting and maintaining a heading for seagoing vessels is almost always managed by way of digital electronic devices and long may that continue.

So, what is the role today of the marine magnetic compass and why should it be maintained in a serviceable condition as part of a vessel's navigational assets?

In many circumstances it is a legal and insurance specified requirement. In other circumstances it is regarded as an important safe and responsible maritime practice. It is generally considered that a vessel's magnetic compass should be corrected when these situations apply:

  • When first installed
  • After dry-docking
  • After significant structural work
  • After lightning strike
  • If they become unreliable
  • When repairs or structural alterations have been made to the ship that could affect its permanent and / or induced magnetism
  • If electrical or magnetic equipment close to the compass is added removed or altered
  • If the recorded deviations are excessive or when the compass shows physical defects or
  • At any other time deemed necessary by the Master for the safety of navigation

We look forward to being of assistance.

Enquiries

Phone from outside Australia: +61 7 458 427 394
Phone from within Australia: 0458 427 394
Email: chris@felan.com.au

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