Newbie question re: refilling marine compass

rrf (aka Makule Bob)

unread,

Oct 20, 2002, 5:04:35 PM10/20/02

to

Sorry if I'm posting this in the wrong forum. If so, I would be
grateful if one of you would direct me to a more appropriate one.

Question: relatives have just arrived in New Zealand from French
Polynesia for the America's Cup. They've been at sea for almost three
years and their brass & glass spherical marine compass (pedestal
mounted) has developed a leak around the main seal. Replacing the seal
isn't a problem, but finding out what fluid/liquid to use to refill it
with is. (Apparently, there is only one person in the entire country
who does repairs and his workmanship is not highly recommended.)

Can anyone let me know what fluid is used so that I can pass on the
info?

Many thanks, Makule Bob

********

The art & the artists of New Zealand's Tutukaka Coast: <http://www.earthsea.co.nz>
Wax-up and drop-in of Surfing's Golden Years: <http://www.earthsea.co.nz/surfwriterintro1.htm>

For email change @earthsea.co.enzed" to "@earthsea.co.nz"

The_navigator©

unread,

Oct 20, 2002, 5:13:05 PM10/20/02

to

I have heard people saying that purified mineral spirits, isopropyl alcohol or even baby oil can
be used. Have you got some of the old fluid -what does it smell like and how viscous is it?

Cheers MC

rrf (aka Makule Bob)

unread,

Oct 20, 2002, 10:12:41 PM10/20/02

to

Thank you. This morning they set sail from Tutukaka Harbour (northeast
coast of New Zealand's North Island) down the coast to the 'Town
Basin' in Whangarei. I will ring them on their mobile phone this
evening and ask. mb

Seahag

unread,

Oct 20, 2002, 10:36:17 PM10/20/02

to

The_navigator© <farr...@excite.com> wrote:

> I have heard people saying that purified mineral spirits, isopropyl
alcohol or even baby oil can
> be used. Have you got some of the old fluid -what does it smell like and
how viscous is it?
>

The compass sites are rather cagey about what to use or not aren't they?
From personal experience I do not recommend denatured alcohol. I did read
about someone pissing in a compass in a pinch. It worked fine for a
while...

Seahag

The_navigator©

unread,

Oct 20, 2002, 10:48:53 PM10/20/02

to

Denatured alcohol sounds like a bad idea. It contains benzene which will
remove paint over time...

Cheers MC

Seahag

unread,

Oct 21, 2002, 1:19:11 AM10/21/02

to

The globe turned really cloudy until one day it started clearing up. I
reached out a finger to poke it and discovered it was just gone! Completely
eaten by the alcohol! The compass still worked, as long as the wind didn't
tilt the card too much!

Seahag

rrf (aka Makule Bob)

unread,

Oct 21, 2002, 1:29:41 AM10/21/02

to

Reminds me of the first time I got a sea urchin spines in my foot in
Hawai'i. Asked a local what to do and he said, "Piss on it." When I
looked confused he gave me more detailed instructions, telling me to
first put my foot in a bucket and then piss on it. Saved a trip to the
pharmacy, but I had to buy my auntie a new poi bucket. mb

Seahag

unread,

Oct 21, 2002, 1:35:17 AM10/21/02

to

rrf (aka Makule Bob) <rrfe...@earthsea.co.enzed> wrote:
"Seahag" <Sea...@toadymail.toad.net> wrote:

> >The compass sites are rather cagey about what to use or not aren't they?
> >From personal experience I do not recommend denatured alcohol. I did
read
> >about someone pissing in a compass in a pinch. It worked fine for a
> >while...
> >
>

> Reminds me of the first time I got a sea urchin spines in my foot in
> Hawai'i. Asked a local what to do and he said, "Piss on it." When I
> looked confused he gave me more detailed instructions, telling me to
> first put my foot in a bucket and then piss on it. Saved a trip to the
> pharmacy, but I had to buy my auntie a new poi bucket. mb
>

Works great on jellyfish stings too, and you don't need the bucket!

Seahag

rrf (aka Makule Bob)

unread,

Oct 21, 2002, 1:58:13 AM10/21/02

to

OK - I've just spoken with Chris on board Carelbi (anchored overnight
off Urquharts Bay at the mouth of Whangarei Harbour waiting for
tomorrow's tide) and he sez that the liquid is more viscous than
alcohol or water - but not as viscous as baby oil. More like alcohol
with some glycerine in it. Sez it smells of alcohol. We were both
trying to figure out what purified mineral spirits would smell like
and look like if swirled around gently in a wine glass like a good
Kiwi white. mb

On Mon, 21 Oct 2002 10:13:05 +1300, The_navigator©
<farr...@excite.com> wrote:

edgar cove

unread,

Oct 21, 2002, 3:42:44 PM10/21/02

to

In article <p466rugogp3hqpotm...@4ax.com>, rrf (aka Makule
Bob) <rrfe...@earthsea.co.enzed> writes

>Sorry if I'm posting this in the wrong forum. If so, I would be
>grateful if one of you would direct me to a more appropriate one.
>
>Question: relatives have just arrived in New Zealand from French
>Polynesia for the America's Cup. They've been at sea for almost three
>years and their brass & glass spherical marine compass (pedestal
>mounted) has developed a leak around the main seal. Replacing the seal
>isn't a problem, but finding out what fluid/liquid to use to refill it
>with is. (Apparently, there is only one person in the entire country
>who does repairs and his workmanship is not highly recommended.)
>
>Can anyone let me know what fluid is used so that I can pass on the
>info?

Old compasses, maybe 100 years back, were filled with water containing
about 30% alcohol to stop it from freezing. I would use distilled water
and even so, boil it to get rid of any air dissolved in it.
Do not use denatured alcohol or surgical spirits as these contain other
chemicals which, over time, can react with the materials used in the
compass, particularly the steel magnets.
If it is a more modern compass then any good chandler should be able to
supply 'compass fluid' . I am not sure what this is or how many types
there are so my recommendation would be to completely drain the compass
and refill, rather than risking that the new fluid would not mix
properly with the old.
--
edgar (remove nospam from return address for e-mail reply)

rrf (aka Makule Bob)

unread,

Oct 21, 2002, 4:42:13 PM10/21/02

to

Many thanks for the advice. I will pass it on to Chris & Fiona on
Carelbi.

In the meantime, I've found some information on the Ritchie website
that refers to the "fluid" used in their new models of Ritchie
compasses as being "Isopar," with older models having been filled with
"odorless Mineral Spirits." mb

William Brown

unread,

Oct 21, 2002, 7:20:14 PM10/21/02

to

Ritchie sells compass oil, which they define as refined mineral spirits.

http://www.go2marine.com/frameset.jsp?servletPath=/g2m/action/GoBPage/id/21912F/hiLiteSku/21912/categoryId/13076/

rrf (aka Makule Bob) wrote:

--
SPAMBLOCK NOTICE! To reply to me, delete the h from apkh.net, if it is
there.

Robert Feigel (aka Bob)

unread,

Nov 2, 2002, 6:15:47 PM11/2/02

to

Many thanks to everyone who responded to my post. It turns out that
there is more than one person (or company) that repairs compasses and
sextants in NZ and my wife's cousin and her partner were able to make
contact with some very helpful people at Bayswater, on Auckland's
North Shore.

The compass is now back in working order and looks like new.

Best wishes from Aotearoa New Zealand. It's been great lurking in your
newsgroup for the past few weeks.

Sail well,

Bob

********

Tributes to Miki Dora and to Bill Cleary <http://www.earthsea.co.nz/surfwriter/tributes1.htm>

Martin Baxter

unread,

Nov 2, 2002, 10:09:34 PM11/2/02

to

"Robert Feigel (aka Bob)" wrote:
>
> Many thanks to everyone who responded to my post. It turns out that
> there is more than one person (or company) that repairs compasses and
> sextants in NZ and my wife's cousin and her partner were able to make
> contact with some very helpful people at Bayswater, on Auckland's
> North Shore.
>
> The compass is now back in working order and looks like new.
>
> Best wishes from Aotearoa New Zealand. It's been great lurking in your
> newsgroup for the past few weeks.
>

Well jeeze Bob, what did you end up filling the thing with?

Cheers
Marty