: Has anyone thought about the idea of a hat-mounted compass with a
: "heads-up" display on the visor?. What about chip-based
: technology rather than the traditional floating magnet compass? The
: mounting position would, for most of us, eliminate the possibility of
: being too close to large metallic objects in the kayak. I'll bet that I
: can put my hat on plus or minus less degrees than the accuracy with which
: I can paddle a kayak, especially since you can calibrate the hat with a
: traditional compass.

: You could take bearings without needing to turn the boat; all you would need
: to do is turn your head to look at the object. To maintain a course you'd
: align your nose with the bow of the kayak.

And in a cross wind you could wear the hat at an angle?

I think that you definitely have something here (perhaps it is sunstroke) and if you continue to wear your hat while paddling there is a possibility that it will cure itself.

Seriously, though, if you wanted to try something like this, consider a baseball cap or a painter's cap, a small front surface mirror (check American Science and Surplus), and a clear plastic, liquid filled compass. You can easily cut a hole in the brim that is slightly larger than the diameter of the round part of the compass, glue down any loose fabric edges.
the web page for American Science and Surplus' mirrors is:

http://sciplus.com/category.cfm?subsection=21&category=190

While you are at that page, you might try tyuping the word COMPASS in their search window. You'll get about a dozen responses, of which 5 or 6 are usefull, and cheap. One model has a built in thermometer (tells you water temperature when doing eskimo rolls and air temperature otherwise) and an emergency whistle, which might get you found if the compass gets you lost.

Consider their 12 mm square, or 21 mm square mirrors. At only 1 mm thick these should be very light and particularly with the 12 x 12 mm mirror, mounted at about a 45 degree angle under the brim, your forward vision will be barely obscured. You'ld only have an obstructed area about 12 mm wide and 7 mm deep. To see clearly in this area you'ld need only to tip your head back a minimal amount.

You can secure the rectangular plastic base of the compass to the brim of the cap with those otherwise useless plastic clips that hold the waistband closed on new pants. or, you can modify the hanging hooks that are used for displaying mens socks. A trip to the wastebaskets at any menswear department will get you ample materials. Should you be shy about asking for these materials -- how are you going to explain that you need non-metallic plastic clips for a hat compass -- you might instead use the lanyard holes on the compass and a small piece of string laced through them and the hat brim. You can mount the compass on the underside of the brim, or on top, but you'll want it to be right side up, so your directions (east/west) are not reversed. A small mirror (front surface) mounted under the brim allows you to read through the underside of the compass.

If you opt for mounting all of this under the hatbrim, you can use a few drops of epoxy glue to secure some plastic chips directly to the underside of the compass as mirror mounts. You can obtain this plastic by trimming about 1/2 inch (12 mm) from the rectangular plastic base of the compass itself.

So, Hey, go for it! Take a couple of pictures of your chapeau magnetique and send them back along with a performance report.

By the way, your last point about maintaining a course by pointing your nose at the bow of the kayak -- Umm, I think that is stated in an incorrect order. If you align your nose with where the bow is, then you will be able to read what direction you are really going, which is fine, but if you want to maintain a course, you have to do the opposite. (Assuming the compass is lined up with your nose, of course) you have to FIRST point your nose in the direction you wish to travel, and then steer the kayak to line up with your nose. This may sound like a subtle difference, but it is the difference between the horse following the cart, or the cart following the horse.

Hope this helps.

PGJ