Question Kompass

[Holger Dieske]

can someone tell me how to dismantle the compass from the control column to:
to open it and
to get to the gear lever.
?

Holger

[Ron Hill]

Hogler : The compass it just on as a tight fit!!  Take both hands and turn the compass while lifting.  It will just slide off !!

A thought

[Stu Jackson]

Holger, Ron's right, but I would add my experience:  I remove the two screws that hold the black piece on the forward side that holds the light inside.  I found the wires extremely short, so when I twist the stainless body, there's not much wiggle room to be able to lift it.

Twist it, but try not to lift until you see how much room those wires give you.

[Ron Hill]

Holger : When you take the compass off have another person there to hold the compass.  I have a cup holder on the front of the pedestal guard tubes that I can put the compass in.  I had plenty of wire, so wire length was not a problem for me.

Hope this helps,  Ron

[Holger Dieske]

thx, so easy.

Holger

[waughoo]

Im curious how one indexes the compas so that it stays accuate to the lubber lines if it just lifts off.  I haven't removed mine yet but plan to in the near future fos some pedestal guard work.

[Holger Dieske]

and one more question about the compass:
possibly a stupid question, but what the heck, I'll just grumble.
my compass is filled with a liquid. Is it a kind of oil and has to be like that or is it just rainwater that has run into it and doesn't belong there?

Holger

[Noah]

NOT water!
Similar to mineral oil: you can buy it at any Marine or navigation equipment supplier.
Ritchie Compass Fluid:
The right refill fluid for Ritchie compasses
If you ever need to refill or top off the fluid in your Ritchie compass, the manufacturer recommends Isopar L, an odorless, colorless, refined synthetic fluid. Its low viscosity promotes quick swinging. Won't freeze or boil off at temperatures from -40º to 200º F., and it may be mixed with the mineral oil already in compasses made before 2001.

Sold by the pint or the quart

[Holger Dieske]

Thanks a Lot, Noah!

Holger

[Ron Hill]

Alex : The way I re-index my compass after I reinstall?? 

I take the vertical index post in the front inside of the compass and make it align with the center of the mast/headstay. (put down the boarding ladder and step down till I can see the two items).   I've also taken a piece of masking tape to the front of the compass and the pedestal and marked them with a pen. The when I reinstall I just get the marks to re- align. 

A few thoughts

[waughoo]

Thanks Noah... sounds like one does the best they can.  I had hoped for a repeatable setting from the mfg.  Thanks for the input.

[Noah]

Alex-that was Ron's method. I don't have one...other than I suggest making a scratch mark in position, before removing compass. I have never had to remove and reindex the compass on my current boat.

[waughoo]

Oops!!  Thanks RON and thanks to Noah for the correction.  Not sure how I did that.