Leaky, forty year old, Plastimo steering compass: restore or replace?

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NealB

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The Plastimo binnacle steering compass on our 1985 Westerly Falcon, is now virtually dry on the inside, and the outside has lots of cracks, and generally looks rather disreputable.

My, totally uninformed, guess is that replacing it (at around £300), is very likely to be a cheaper, and more pleasing, 'fix', than having it restored.

I just thought I'd seek out the views of those who have steered along this particular course, before me.

Thank you for your thoughts.

It's something like this: Pardon our interruption...
 
It might be worth googling for self-repair options. I had a bubble in my 15-yr compass from a different company and there were articles and videos on how to mend them, but in the end I decided to replace it.
 
johnalison said:
It might be worth googling for self-repair options. I had a bubble in my 15-yr compass from a different company and there were articles and videos on how to mend them, but in the end I decided to replace it.
Click to expand...
Thank you!

Yes, I've seen a few videos, and read about the cost-efficacy of cleaning with toothpaste, but I suspect, that a DIY approach to restoration will quite probably end up looking like I did it..
 
I had a scuffed area where a tarpaulin had been rubbing over an acrylic window. By hand it took 2 minutes with some car polish to remove the opacity and get it gleaming.

If you’re expecting to replace the compass then why not have a go at repairing it first? It may not work but you’ve lost nothing trying.
 
Clouding is easy to polish out, but cracks will be much deeper - very difficult to not end up with wobbly vision. After 40 years service it might be time to retire it
 
It's the almost total loss of fluid that has me most concerned.

I've not had a thorough look as yet, but I can't see any obvious place where it can be drained, and topped up.

It looks as if its leaking from where the clear plastic dome, meets the main plastic body.
 
Like others above, I tried a few different things to save the compass and make it look like new again.

I gave up and bought a new one. The clarity is delightful and no bubbles.
 
NealB said:
It's the almost total loss of fluid that has me most concerned.

I've not had a thorough look as yet, but I can't see any obvious place where it can be drained, and topped up.
Click to expand...
I would be very surprised if there wasn't some sort of plugin it - after all they have to fill it with fluid somehow. I lost all fluid from mine although a different make it was caused by a perishing of O ring on aforementioned plug. Couldn't see the plug until I removed it from its mounting. So a new O ring and refill with baby oil and all good again. Mind youth plastic dome was ok not scratched. So sound like replacement might be your best option but since you have to take old one out first - worth a look if there is a plug/filler.
 
There is, of course, the persistent, nagging, voice, at the back of my head, that keeps whispering, "psssst ...... come on Neal ....... be honest ........... you don't really use a steering compass anyway, nowadays ...... you did your YM Practical exam, before GPS was invented, when it was all magnetic compasses, and it made you feel that you were upholding a vital part of your own Dad's navigational heritage ...... but ......... come on, that was over forty years ago ......things have moved on ....... the plotter and autohelm do it all for you".

Get thee behind me ...... thou art an offence to me!!!

:cool::love::cry:
 
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I would never buy a plastimo compass again. My dried out and the plastic dome fell to bits. Seen so many with large air bubbles in them.
I bought a beautiful Sestral binnacle compass on ebay for a whole £7.50 !
Facebook market place can also be good for a cheap quality compass.
 
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