Tacktick Race Compass User manual

Installation Guide
Warnings
All Tacktick equipment and accessories are designed to the best industry standards for use in the leisure marine environment.
Their design and manufacture is in compliance with CE Mark requirements, this includes electromagnetic compatibility.
Your Tacktick instrument should only be used in the environment intended and should not be operated close to magnetic
objects such as card compasses or loud speakers.
The Race Compass is not an aid to navigation. It is the user’s responsibility to follow sound rules of seamanship and
navigation.
Specifications
Character size: 17.5mm
Heel angle: up to 30° of pitch or heel
Waterproofing: submersible to 1m
Weight: 250g (9oz)
Battery life: 24 hours (built in solar recharging)
Operating temp: 0°C to + 35°C
Storage temp: -15°C to + 70°C
Ongoing product improvement may necessitate changes to specifications without notice.
Installation Instructions
Your Race Compass can be installed in a matter of minutes using simple tools. It is however critical that the Race Compass
is:
• mounted with the main display facing the stern
• not leaning to port or starboard
• not leaning fore/aft by more than 20°
It is recommended that only genuine Tacktick brackets are used for installation to your boat and that the Tacktick soft pack
(T002) is used to protect your instrument when detached from your boat.
Note: the dimensions between the mounting lugs in the rear case are 80mm across by 40mm in depth.
In order to mount and demount your Race Compass, simply turn the plastic thumbscrews in the rear case by hand. The use of
a screwdriver is not recommended. Maintenance
Before sailing with the Race Compass
Check that you have good access to all four buttons. Test the Race Compass’s operation by switching on, then listening for a
beep as you press each of the four buttons. Check that the Race Compass’s compass display corresponds with the expected
magnetic heading. You are ready to sail with the Race Compass!
Maintenance
The Race Compass is totally sealed against water and is not serviceable. Any attempt to take your instrument apart will
invalidate the warranty.
To clean, use ONLYa damp soft cloth. No detergents should be used.
To avoid scratching the Race Compass’s displays, we recommend storing in the the Race Compass soft pack (T002). If you
are racing during winter, it will be necessary to remove the Race Compass from the soft pack and place it near a window in
order to charge the batteries with the sun’s energy.
Fault finding
The Race Compass switches itself off after 7 minutes:
If the Race Compass detects no motion, this will happen automatically to minimise battery drain. This is not possible at sea.
The Race Compass switches itself off at sea:
See solar charging instructions, as battery may be flat
Compass readings are inaccurate:
The Race Compass does not compensate for magnetic materials in your boat.
Check there are no electronics, card compasses, loud speakers etc., within 2 feet of the Race Compass’s mounting
position.
Can’t complete setting up procedure with method 1 :
May be due to magnetic disturbance or insufficient settling time. Check that your tack angle is not less than
60° or more than 120°. If you experience persistent problems, use method 2.
If you still experience problems, contact your local Tacktick dealer.

How To Use Your Tacktick Race Compass
Not to be used for navigation
Your instrument
To switch on:
Press the mode button
To switch off:
Press & hold down the mode button until display clears. The Race Compass will power down automatically after 7 minutes if it
detects no movement
There are 2 modes for the Race Compass : Timer & Compass modes:
Use the mode button to switch between functions
Timer: timer functions are labelled above the keys
Compass: Compass functions are labelled below the keys
True Wind Direction
You can tell the Race Compass that a permanent wind shift has occurred by adjusting the true wind direction with the back
and veer buttons. To briefly display the true wind direction press the back or veer buttons once.
Press the back button
to adjust the wind
direction down.
One press = 5°
Press the veer
button to adjust the
wind direction up.
One press = 5°
If you can’t work out the shifts, just press the back
and veer buttons until the chevrons move in the
desired direction! Reading the Shifts
Having set the two close hauled headings the Race Compass will show your headers and lifts on the unique chevron graphs.
Each chevron is a 5° shift so the bar will reach its full extent with a lift or header of 25°.
To reset one or both close hauled headings at any time, simply sail close hauled and making sure you are in compass mode,
press the c.h. button once. the Race Compass’s unique close hauled detection software will automatically recognise which
tack you are sailing and overwrite the previously stored heading for that tack. Don’t be tempted to sail on the bar graphs - you
must sail on the wind and the bar graphs will then show you how the wind has shifted.
Advanced Operation
The Race Compass automatically switches into downwind mode when your true wind angle moves aft of the beam. In this
mode the Race Compass shows a zero lift/header when you are 20 degrees away from the mean downwind.
Remember even downwind you must sail
ON THE WIND and the Race Compass will then show you the shifts (lifts bring the bow up wind and take you away from the
downwind mark - headers help you towards the downwind mark).
Being on the wrong side of the shift downwind will take a long time to correct as you are moving with the wind pattern and so
stay with each shift for longer. Setting Up - Method 1
Setting up is best done before the race starts, but can be done at any time.
1 Make sure you are in compass mode.
2 Sail close hauled and ensure the boat
is steady on her course.
Now you are ready to set the close hauled
headings from which your the Race Compass will
detect and calculate wind shifts.
3 Press the c.h. button once.
You will hear a double beep and
the bar graphs will flash once.
4 Tack through the wind.
5 Sail close hauled and ensure the boat
is steady on her course.
6 Press the
c.h. button once.

You will hear multiple beeps and
the bar graphs will flash twice. Setting Up - Method 2
This alternative method for setting up is particularly
useful if you’re sailing single handed.
1 Press and hold down the c.h. button until the flashing
lines (chasing snakes) appear.
The display will flash for 25 seconds while you power
the boat up on the first close hauled tack. the Race Compass
will register the average angle of the last five seconds
as your normal close hauled heading for this tack.
2 the Race Compass now tells you to tack - indicated by “tac” on
the display.
You now have 25 seconds to tack and steady her on
the new course. The flashing lines (chasing snakes)
appear again.
3 After the 25 seconds, the Race Compass registers the average
heading again, beeps and will now indicate wind shifts
on the chevron bar graphs. Using the Race Timer
Your Race Timer is automatically set for a 10 minute start time. To set simply press the gun button!
You can adjust the start time to be 6 minutes, 3 minutes etc.
If you have to stop and restart use the reset- or reset+ buttons to bring the countdown back up. These buttons can also be
used to adjust the start time, up or down.
Your Race Timer counts down the last minute and beeps at 10 second intervals and then 1 second intervals for the last 10
seconds.
If you stay in timer mode, when you go through the line and the countdown reaches ‘000’, the Race Compass will switch
automatically to compass mode.
Once past the start, the timer now counts your elapsed time.