Ritchie SportAbout Hand Bearing Compass Review

The Ritchie SportAbout hand bearing compass from Ritchie Navigation is a versatile and compact marine compass. Many boaters have multiple marine compasses aboard, one as a primary boat compass and the other as a hand bearing compass. The Ritchie SportAbout can actually accomplish both with the direct read dial and the V-notch and lubber line for taking bearings on distant objects.

The SportAbout is a small hockey puck style hand bearing marine compass. As a hand bearing compass, the reading is taken by holding the SportAbout compass at arms length lining up the lubber line with the V-notch. I found that the SportAbout is accurate to ~5 degrees and doesn’t provide the same precision as (significantly) more expensive marine hand bearing compasses I have used. If you need to take bearings accurate to the degree, you may consider a more expensive compass like the Plastimo Iris 50. If you don’t need this sort of accuracy, the price and other features make the SportAbout a great boat compass.

However, I do really like this compass for what it is, which is a light weight (~4oz.) and compact boat compass that is reliable and because it is compact, it’s easy to wear around your neck with the lanyard or keep in your pocket. Having this marine compass hand means you’ll use it more that others that are bulkier. This is a good thing.

I keep my Ritchie SportAbout in a bag that I take out on my 13’ Boston Whaler. I place it on the console at the primary boat compass and also use it as a hand bearing compass when needed. You can purchase two different compass holders for the Ritchie SportAbout, a kayak tie-down mount that enables you to attach this marine compass to the deck of your kayak or a surface mount holder.

The compass is easy to read and has a silicon casing that is easy to grip, even when wet, and offers protection against shock if the compass gets knocked around or dropped on your boat.

For night use, the Ritchie SportAbout hand bearing compass includes 3 light sticks that slip into the silicon casing. Each light stick gives 6 hours of luminescence. I found that even with a new light stick in, that the SportAbout was difficult to read at night. It helped me locate the compass but not to read it.

Summary:

Things I like about the Ritchie SportAbout-

Price
Light weight and small
Durable
Versatile – direct read dial and head bearing capability
Great for small boats or even ditch bags for larger boats

Potential drawbacks-

Precision – I found it only accurate to ~5 degrees.
Night use – hard to read even with light sticks

Ritchie SportAbout hand bearing compass features overview:

Easy to Read 2" Direct-Reading Dial
Hardened Steel Pivot and Sapphire Jewel Movement
Built-in Roller Diaphragm for Extended Temperature Operating Range
International Safety Yellow Case
Silicon Impact Resistant Case with Neck Lanyard
Compact Size for Easy Handling and Storage
QuickSight V-Notch and Lubber Line for Easy Heading Alignment
Non-Electric Chem Sticks Provide 18 Hours of Night Lighting
New Holder Ideal for Deck Mounting SportAbout Compasses on Small Boats
Holder Available in Black or White

Ritchie SportAbout Size