Compass Deviation

Many ships rely on magnetic compasses to determine their bearings while at sea. However, magnetic compasses are subject to deviations that can cause errors in navigation. Therefore, it is very important to perform regular maintenance and declination checks on magnetic compasses to ensure their accuracy. Even a well-maintained magnetic compass can be subject to deviations due to a variety of factors, such as the presence of metallic objects, electrical interference, and the ship’s magnetic field. Deviation checks are necessary to determine the accuracy of the compass and detect any deviations.Deviation checks involve comparing the readings of the compass with those of a reference standard. It