Ritchie XP-99 Kayaker Compass - Surface Mount

Bought this to replace my 10yr old surface mount Ritchie kayak compass; sadly the quality of materials has gone downhill and this product is a poor (and virtually only) replacement.The plastic is noticeably thinner and more brittle than the original, and it's considerably taller/bulkier than the old one.I also crossed my fingers that the mounting hole might miraculously match up . . . of course they're off by 1/8 of an inch on each side making for a weakened surface with too-close-double-holes. Peel & stick gasket also has a comically strong adhesive that leaves you almost destroying the flimsy foam gasket while trying to peel & stick it.Thought about returning it, but any other options cost easily twice as much. Will see how long it lasts but I'm not expecting too much.

The Ritchie XP-99 is a nice looking compass with a rotating bezel which you can adjust to set your heading and compensate for declension. Once the base is mounted you can remove the compass itself for safekeeping.Nice unit. However....One star off for the following issues....In searching for a compass for my Wilderness Systems Kayak, I did a lot of reading here and on the Web. While the listing on Amazon says no back light, the Ritchie website and other places say there is one available, but no one listed it for sale.I called Ritchie and ordered it, figuring it would integrate nicely with the XP-99, and clip in or whatever when you removed the compass from the base. What arrived in the mail was a tiny LED on the end of a double wire, and a sketchy illustration of how to mount it to the compass.It does not fit.Worse, There is no place for batteries or any provision for mounting them. No clue as to how to hook it up to power, or what source. I suppose I would have to tape one, or make one by drilling holes in my composite boat--No idea provided on what size, voltage or amperage required.So while it seems to be a nice sturdy, and well designed unit, don't purchase if, like me, yo were hoping for some type of illumination.

It's made for a kayak exclusively. You can't get it even near any metal.

Ritchie is THE name for quality compass craftsmanship and this one holds true to its name. I decided not to permanently mount the mounting plate to my kayak and used velcro. It's accurate and is extremely easy to read. Totally worth the money.

Be very careful when you purchase this item. Probably best to see this in a store. This unit did not fit my kayak and now I'm having all kinds of hassles with CE Showroom about returning the item. I did not notice that Amazon was not selling this item as the seller page looks just like the regular Amazon page. Very upset that I'm going through layers and layers of red tape to return the item. Do not buy if you're not sure of the size. $60.00 mistake for me... but I'm happy to share my experience, so you can benefit. I'll update if things change with this seller.

I mounted this compass directly to the deck of my sea kayak and I'm very pleased with it. The dial's rotation is smooth, it holds a steady bearing thus making accurate navigation possible even when in 4-foot seas, and the numbers are large enough to easily read from a distance. This is possibly the best compass I've ever had in a kayak. I like it so much, that I also purchased a "tactician's sailing compass" of nearly the same design from this same manufacturer, and mounted it in my sailboat.

I bought this for my boat at deck..but it's too big.

I bought this compass to mount on my kayak (A Swift Adirondack). After several years I am still quite happy with all aspects of the product (mounting was very easy, the compass heading is easy to see from a distance, and I get lots of complements from other kayakers).