Here and I thought they were filled with something like cooking oil. My compass had somehow lost fluid. I had read somewhere that west marine stocked compass oil, so I went and asked the salesman they order it in some large quanitity and was very expensive ( I only need about 5oz) so I am still running low. ----- Original Message ----- From: <chbenneck@juno.com> To: <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Thursday, December 02, 2004 10:01 AM Subject: Re: M_Boats: remove the compass for the winter?

Hi Doug,

Back - many years ago - pre WWII, when I worked at Kollsman Instrument Company, our aircraft compasses were filled with a highly refined kerosene.

I also recall US Navy compasses (and lifeboat compasses) at that time were filled with ethyl alcohol, which troops discovered, and used inappropriately...................

My guess is that a compass should stand a -10 degree temperature, but why not call the compass manufacturer and find out what he fills the compass with (fluid specs) and if it can stand such a temperature.

Otherwise, if you don't want to go to this effort, just remove it and store it in the house during the winter.

Connie

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