Where’s the Binnacle

[Goodshipvenus]

My Vanguard model of Sphinx has an excellent, detailed binnacle. But, many other models I see, including others from Vanguard, have no binnacle. So, where did the compass go? And if there is no compass in front of the helmsman how did he keep a true course?

[Gregory]

Some boats, like cutters may not have had binnacles because they were resigned to channel duty, and it was a piece of equipment they didn't need, and didn't need to worry about maintenance.

Other ships or boats may have been part of a fleet and they relied on other ships to get them to where they were going.

 

At minimum the captain or other officer had a compass somewhere that could be used when required.

 

Last but not least, a kit manufacturer didn't bother to include it and/or they were following drawings that didn't  include it. 

As a standard piece of equipment on many ships, it may not have been included in the drawings because it was assumed the ship would be fitted with one.

 

I certainly don't have the final word so perhaps others will chime in.

Edited December 15, 2022 by Gregory

[allanyed]

Further to what Gregory posted, it is my understanding that the binnacle was not a permanent structure but rather was lashed down when in use and was put out of the way when not in use so not shown on contemorary plans.  I also wonder if it was not stowed when preparing for battle to protect it from damage or, at times such as Gregory mentioned.  Up to three binnacles, (or abitacli, or habitacles) were carried at times but by order of the Admiralty this was reduced to two in 1779 unless demanded by flag officers.  In these cases it is not clear where these additional units were kept, possibly below as spares.

 

If you study some contemporary plans you will usually see the capstans and wheel hub, but not the binnacle.  I just took a quick look at about 50 profiles and inboard profiles and only saw one structure that might be a binnacle.   Look at ZAZ3401 at the RMG Collections site, HMS Coventry 1757, et al.  There is something just forward of the wheel that MAY be a binnacle. A high res plan can be seen at   https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/Coventry_(1757)%2C_Lizard_(1757)%2CLiverpool_(1757)%2C_Maidstone_(1758)%2C_Acteon_(1757)%2C_Shannon_(1757)%2C_Levant_(1757)%2C_Cerberus_(1757)%2C_Griffin_(1757)%2C_Hussar_(1757)%2C_Bureas_(1757)%2C_Trent_(1757)_RMG_J6339.png  Whatever this object is, it is not shown on the deck plans, so might be temporarily in place, thus the binnacle.

Hope others have more information to share.

Allan

 

 

Edited December 15, 2022 by allanyed

[Jim Lad]

In my opinion, a vessel the size of the sphinx would certainly have been fitted with a binnacle - an essential piece of ship's equipment. It may very well not show up on plans simply because it was a usual fitting and ond would have been taken out of store and lashed down forward of the wheel during final fit out.

 

John

[Chuck Seiler]

A follow on to Allen's point... attached is a photo of my SULTANA showing how the binnacle is secured to the deck.  In retrospect, I could have used smaller eyebolts and line, but....

[Bob Cleek]

14 hours ago, Gregory said:

Some boats, like cutters may not have had binnacles because they were resigned to channel duty, and it was a piece of equipment they didn't need, and didn't need to worry about maintenance.

Other ships or boats may have been part of a fleet and they relied on other ships to get them to where they were going.

 

At minimum the captain or other officer had a compass somewhere that could be used when required.

Actually, based on my own experience, inshore craft have far greater need for a compass than do sea-going craft operating off-soundings most of the time. A vessel that routinely operates close to shore regularly becomes engulfed in fog. This is a circumstance that is hard to describe, but anyone who has ever had the experience can attest that it is totally disorienting. (If you are not familiar with fog, it's about like turning off the lights in a windowless room.) You have little or no sense of direction, save perhaps the wind and the set of the sea. When inshore, particularly against a lee shore, there are few things more terrifying than not knowing where the breakers, reefs, shoals, and rocks are and having no point of reference against which to steer. It is then that a compass is essential. A sea-going ship is less concerned because they aren't concerned about running into anything when several days' run off any shore.

 

I would expect compass redundancy was the order of the day. One compass for the helm, of course, which was necessary if there was to be any sense to giving the helmsman steering commands, plus a spare for the helm, and then secondary compasses used primarily by the captain, sailing master and other officers to enable them to monitor the course from their posts other than on the quarterdeck. There are actually "upside down" compasses, properly called "tell-tale compasses," designed to be mounted on the overhead above an officer's bunk so that they could immediately note the ship's course while they were off watch in their bunks. Tell-tale compasses have been commonly used in European vessels from at least the Fourteenth Century that I know of. Some were refined examples of the instrument makers' art and are highly valuable collectables today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 16, 2022 by Bob Cleek

[Chuck Seiler]

13 minutes ago, Bob Cleek said:

Actually, based on my own experience, inshore craft have far greater need for a compass than do sea-going craft operating off-soundings most of the time. ..l. A sea-going ship is less concerned because they aren't concerned about running into anything when several days' run off any shore.

Huh?  A sea going craft still needs to know which direction to go.  (or I should say the people sailing the craft.)

[Gregory]

3 hours ago, Bob Cleek said:

Actually, based on my own experience, inshore craft have far greater need for a compass than do sea-going craft operating off-soundings most of the time.

If you noted in my post you quoted, I didn't speculate that they didn't have compasses, to the contrary, I suggested that they did.

I discussed the lack of binnacles, as I have not seen any on contemporary models of cutters.

[Chuck Seiler]

Sorry.  I quoted Bob Cleek, not you.

[Gregory]

I Quoted Bob also..  My response happened after your post, so may have appeared to be responding to you, but I was responding to Bob.

 

[Bob Cleek]

12 hours ago, Chuck Seiler said:

Huh?  A sea going craft still needs to know which direction to go.  (or I should say the people sailing the craft.)

Of course. What I said was that an inshore craft had a greater need for a compass. I didn't mean to imply that a sea-going vessel didn't need one at all!  I suppose the better way to have put it was that every vessel needs a compass (okay, except maybe canoes and dinghies.) A vessel would have the same problem at night with an overcast sky as it would in a thick daytime fog. You can't steer a vessel with any efficiency without a reference point, which the compass provides if you can't see the shore or the stars. While a binnacle may be moveable and not seen on every contemporary model, the helmsman would have a hard time steering a straight line without one if they had no point of reference.

Edited December 16, 2022 by Bob Cleek

[allanyed]

12 hours ago, Bob Cleek said:

A vessel that routinely operates close to shore regularly becomes engulfed in fog. This is a circumstance that is hard to describe, but anyone who has ever had the experience can attest that it is totally disorienting. (If you are not familiar with fog

I can attest to this situation being hair raising.  Happened to us when we were out in our boat fishing for striped bass one Spring morning between Sandy Hook and the Verrazano Narrows Bridge.  We were out of the shipping lane that comes down the Raritan Reach so we just sat   ---- untl we heard thunder.  We pulled anchor to run for shore.  Which way???  The compass showed us our heading.  (Of course the GPS made it even easier😁)    Still a scary situation.

[jud]

Before GPS but Loran was in use on larger vessels, all we had was a chart, magnetic compass and a fathometer to navigate from Bellingham, Washington to SE Alaska and back with a King Salmon Season between. We used the compass and visual cues to steer by, paid close attention to the chart and water depth, verified by the fathometer, to verify where we were while running or fishing. When caught by fog, we listened for horns and followed a bottom contour chosen from the chart to find  our way in to a place to anchor. We had no Binnacle but there was a gimbaled Nautical Compass mounted which was adjusted to the magnetic field it occupied with tested and certified correction tables at hand. All forward of the wheel of the 34 foot King Salmon Troller, Cape Race,1965. Don't remember needing the correction tables, would pick a course, get on it and visually correct if necessary, we were running the Inland Passage or when fishing, had islands in sight most of the time. Did have Binnacle's, Engine Order Telegraphs, Gyro Repeaters and of course Radar, on every Navy Ship I rode, they were a Fletcher Class Destroyer; a Baltimore Class Heavy Cruiser; 3, 542 Class LSTs and some others doing my reserve time.

[allanyed]

Your photo needed more than a simple "like".   Great pic!!

Allan