Jim
You say you teach nav - and you say that you have only pulled out your compass a few times. You also comment that most only pull it out in an emergency. Since compass navigation requires keeping track of where you are - could you tell us how to use a compass in an emergency siruation when it has only been pulled out after that emergency starts? This is not a casual question and "oh it helps you find north" is not an adequate answer. How do you use a compass to find someplace [your vehicle]when you are lost?
Jim