Ansar Compasses background

I have raced sailing boats since young years. I thought it was unnecessarily difficult to use an ordinary compass to track and gain from the wind shifts - like people have done for more than 2000 years when the Chinese invented the magnetic compass.

" The Chinese invented the compass. Anders Ansar made it practical for tacking on windshifts." :)

Ansar 2 compass with At-A-Glance display and Automatic Compensation for Zero Lift indication as tacking angle change when wind speed increases over light

Ansar 1 compass

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I therefore invented a compass around 1976, Ansar I. This compass shows the same large figure on both tacks. It was liked and used by many sailors. Among them were the American Ed Baird, then a star in the Laser dinghy. In his book on Laser sailing he writes it helped him to gain at least three or four places in each major regatta. Some of these compasses are still in use.

The type of dial I invented for this compass has since been used or is still used by the big compass manufacturers Plastimo, Ritchie, Silva/Nexus/Garmin. I see 2015 that the manufacturer Riviera has it as a"New" model - 40 years after I invented it.

When using a compass that shows figures most sailors, especially the older ones, need to take notes. They also constantly must compare these notes with the indication of the compass for their tactical decisions.

Ansar 4 compass

The Ansar 4 is a development of the Ansar 2. It is simpler to use and read as it has only two movable markers. In the Ansar 4 the Automatic Compensation for change in tacking angle when wind speed icreases from very light has been developed further to include all readings: Best lift, Zero lift and Maximum Header by using rectangular markers of a certain height.

Later the Automatic Compensation for change of angle between tacks when the wind speed increases from light was made in another way which makes it easier for the user to adjust and get the compensation right for his boat. At delivery the compensation is set to suit the customers boat and in most cases doesn't need adjustment.

Remote control - a world's first for classical compasses!

Remote Control Tactical Compass. The compass is set up and readjusted with the lines.

I was racing a Laser Dinghy when I designed the Ansar 4 compass. To make it suitable for e.g. dinghies you would need to be able to adjust the movable Markers while hiking - you would need remote control. I made some attempts back then but didn't achive something acceptable.

Around 2015 I looked into the problem again and have acceptable solutions. At present I am redesigning following a redesign of the Marker arrangement.

I expect the remote control model to be well received by e.g. small keel boats like Star Class, Dragon Class and dingies...

My compasses are hand made modifications of Silva/Nexus/Garmin compasses. It is a time consuming operation as the compass has to be taken apart and all the additional components or changes are made by hand.

You race to win! It becomes easier with an ANSAR Compass!