Locking the Wheel

[Fr J Hackett]

What an unpleasant bunch some of you are!
Someone asks a perfecty reasonable question seeking advice and all he gets is sniping, criticism and not one jot of help as asked.

I'll go elsewhere where the people are more civilised thanks.


God help us all from "yotties" like that!

I have told you what to do but you seem determined to ignore it, it would seem your name is well chosen.

 

[pvb]

What an unpleasant bunch some of you are!
Someone asks a perfecty reasonable question seeking advice and all he gets is sniping, criticism and not one jot of help as asked.

I'll go elsewhere where the people are more civilised thanks.

God help us all from "yotties" like that!

If you're willing to accept help, you'll find that you have had help. Others have confirmed that the brake works effectively, if it's in good condition. You just seem determined to deny that it would ever work.

 

[andygc]

What an unpleasant bunch some of you are!

I don't think I have been at all unpleasant to you. All I have said is that my locking knob works. You have been given two pieces of advice relevant to your question.
1. Buy a new friction collar.
2. If you have a wheel pilot, engage the lever.
I can assure you that both of those work - I have a new friction collar, and I have a wheel pilot on my Whitlock Cobra gear.

If you don't like either of those practical suggestions you can do what I did before I got the new friction collar - tie a piece of cord between the pedestal and the wheel. It won't lock the wheel completely but will stop the rudder banging about. I no longer use cord because the locking knob is quicker to apply and does a better job.

 

[sailorman]

Thanks all. never mind. A page and a half of bickering and not a single post helping to answer a simple question. I'll clearly have to figure it out for myself.

Shit appens im afraid but it is PBO , Old Arry used a tiller

 

[Balbas]

What an unpleasant bunch some of you are!
Someone asks a perfecty reasonable question seeking advice and all he gets is sniping, criticism and not one jot of help as asked.

I'll go elsewhere where the people are more civilised thanks.

God help us all from "yotties" like that!

To be fair I read the title and thought 'ooh, good question', then read the answers and realised that my friction collar needs replacing. So the advice given has helped me if not you.

Thanks all!

 

[NealB]

What an unpleasant bunch some of you are!
Someone asks a perfecty reasonable question seeking advice and all he gets is sniping, criticism and not one jot of help as asked.

I'll go elsewhere where the people are more civilised thanks.

God help us all from "yotties" like that!

You have been given the correct advice, by several people.

ie replace the brake clamp.

You need to check you get exactly the right bit for your system, but it could well be this:

https://yachtsteeringservices.com/product/ss05014/

Note that the manufacturer calls it a 'brake' clamp.

It will do exactly what you want.

 

[Cardinal]

Mine also is sub-optimal in performance but although a new one might well be required, before I replace it I shall try de-greasing the friction surfaces as I seem to recall being (favourably) impressed by the quantity of grease under the binnacle and reckon that might have also reached the "brake". If the OP has not examined it closely yet, perhaps he will find this to be the problem.

 

[Aja]

Just for completeness. I took my brake clamp off as it ŵas next to useless and roughened the inside surface with sandpaper and refitted. Now works and holds the wheel reasonably stiffly.

Donald

 

[Greenheart]

If a small amount of rudder movement is permissible, I'd put a good-sized plastic hook on a short loop of heavy shock-cord, low down around the pedestal. Clip the hook around a spoke pointing straight down, and the wheel is held pretty fast.

 

[rogerthebodger]

I have a Whitlock Cobra steering pedestal with a small wheel by modern standards. The pedestal has a small handwheel but it is only a friction device and neither able nor intended to lock the wheel.

Any cunning ways to lock the wheel without resorting to lines obstructing the cockpit?

Don't be concerned with the bickering it just the nature of the beast.

If your pedestal is similar to this I would wrap some chain around the the pedestal upright and then around one of the spokes and the rim of the wheel.

If its for security reasons you could all a padlock.

 

[Yngmar]

Any cunning ways to lock the wheel without resorting to lines obstructing the cockpit?

Yes. There is no reason the lines have to go across the cockpit and obstruct movement. The wheel being a wheel, you can lock it just as well with a line coming up from the floor to a horizontal spoke. Our cockpit has convenient U-bolts next to the binnacle for that (intended for tethers). Let me illustrate: