we thought we were nearly there and...

benw

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Sods law!

Just about come to the end of a long refit list feeling smug and considering what treats we may be able to afford with the pennies left in our budget and guess what..... steering pedestal seized beyond belief!

Quotes for labour and new bearings awaited and just for good measure the option of a new pedestal £1000+.
I am damn sure the wheel felt light whilst she was in the water in Kip, but 5 months out of the water and it gone t-ts up.

Apparently Whitlock suggest servicing bearings every two years, does anybody ever do this? Bring back my tiller helm.

The only bonus is we found it before it found us out in a heavy sea/weather and everything will greased and sorted from the start. But i was looking at a few goodies for the boat which will have to wait now!

Any thoughts re preventing a repeat in a few years please.... :-(
 
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Just about come to the end of a long refit list feeling smug and considering what treats we may be able to afford with the pennies left in our budget and guess what.....
pedestal seized beyond belief!
quotes for labour and new bearings awaited and just for good measure how much is a new pedestal £1000+.
I am damn sure the wheel felt light whilst she was in the water in Kip, but 5months out of the water and it gone t-ts up.

looks like it was u/s yrs ago loadsa bb missing :eek:.
I can see Ralph getting a Christmas bonus this year, you will certainly get a Christmas card :D
suggest you relace those ball races with ss ones
 
Yes indeed we consider it a pretty big spend - small change for an Oyster owner!!

Mind you the majority of the work was factored into the sale price but it is now getting close to the budget floor.

I imagine the bearing spec will be stainless but I shall check with Carl.
Thumbs up for Fox's guys mind you, great depth of experience and advice always good.

Still got the Eber to get serviced and working, new cooker and gas test will finish us off.

AIS and 2nd station mic will have to wait whilst I get my skill level up using HD Radar. Bought new cockpit table and mount etc from KG Howells at the boat show a couple of weeks back which will feed the need to admire craftmanship.

Any thoughts on a winter up at Foxs or in the Haven?
 
AIS and 2nd station mic will have to wait whilst I get my skill level up using HD Radar.

AIS will be extremely useful in your area. Can see where all those big ships and windfarm boats are going and at what speed etc. All overlaid on the plotter, so next to nothing to learn. You'll see most of the fast stuff on screen before you eyeball it. Turn the alarms off anywhere near Harwich/Felixstowe though, or they go mad.
 
Yes indeed we consider it a pretty big spend - small change for an Oyster owner!!

Mind you the majority of the work was factored into the sale price but it is now getting close to the budget floor.

I imagine the bearing spec will be stainless but I shall check with Karl.
Thumbs up for Fox's guys mind you, great depth of experience and advice always good.

Still got the Eber to get serviced and working, new cooker and gas test will finish us off.

AIS and 2nd station mic will have to wait whilst I get my skill level up using HD Radar. Bought new cockpit table and mount etc from KG Howells at the boat show a couple of weeks back which will feed the need to admire craftmanship.

Any thoughts on a winter up at Foxs or in the Haven?

cant say about the haven but Guapa is now in Fox`s having left the Haven.
you have obviously sampled the delights where you are, good food & beer easy access road & river also very sheltered & much warmer than down river
 
cant say about the haven but Guapa is now in Fox`s having left the Haven.

Does not mean Haven's bad though.
Apart from Woolverstone, we've been at every Orwell based marina and I would rate Haven as my second choice.
- Well sheltered
- Clean and adequate length pontoons
- Clean facilities
- Sufficient parking space
- Friendly staff
Only drawback - and the main reason for our move: the lock. Though even that was not too bad, longest time we ever had to wait was about 30 mins.

24/7 access and a well-sheltered berth - the principal pluses of Fox's. Though there too there are disadvantages: the dust from the scrapyard and the fact that in our current berth every Tom, Dick and Harry seems to pick our boat to raft up to. If we're lucky they might even have clean fenders out. :mad:
 
Fox's do a 25% off on labour rates every year, usually starting sometime in November. Their winter marina package rate is good, nothing like as cheap as the two Woodbridge marinas but Fox's probably a lot more convenient for you.
 
AIS will be extremely useful in your area. Can see where all those big ships and windfarm boats are going and at what speed etc. All overlaid on the plotter, so next to nothing to learn. You'll see most of the fast stuff on screen before you eyeball it. Turn the alarms off anywhere near Harwich/Felixstowe though, or they go mad.

Had AIS on last boat radar on this one - will do everything to get AIS even if i wait until next year for the Class B.

I wonder If i went for a request for berth then asked for the 25% off labour would that be agreeable? I wonder....
 
Had AIS on last boat radar on this one - will do everything to get AIS even if i wait until next year for the Class B.

I wonder If i went for a request for berth then asked for the 25% off labour would that be agreeable? I wonder....

if you dont ask you dont get ;)
after all its all money through the books. the longer they take with the work on your boat the longer you get free berthing, simples ;)
 
Save a bit of money and start the dismantling yourself; if you drill out the ball bearing cage or fetch it out with a cold chisel and let all the balls fall out, the shafts should be removable. Then you could either drive the races out or grind them out with a dremel.
 
Sods law!

Just about come to the end of a long refit list feeling smug and considering what treats we may be able to afford with the pennies left in our budget and guess what..... steering pedestal seized beyond belief!

Quotes for labour and new bearings awaited and just for good measure the option of a new pedestal £1000+.
I am damn sure the wheel felt light whilst she was in the water in Kip, but 5 months out of the water and it gone t-ts up.

Apparently Whitlock suggest servicing bearings every two years, does anybody ever do this? Bring back my tiller helm.

The only bonus is we found it before it found us out in a heavy sea/weather and everything will greased and sorted from the start. But i was looking at a few goodies for the boat which will have to wait now!

Any thoughts re preventing a repeat in a few years please.... :-(

Most bearings are 'stock' items. I would doubt Lewmar/Whitlock have theirs made for them alone. You could try and remove them and ID them (code round the edge of the housing) and talk to someone about replacements. Bound to be cheaper than a 'marine' badged replacement of an identical thing.
You could try East Anglian Bearing Service (they are in Great Whip Street just off the Wherstead Road on the way into Ipswich) http://www.eabs.co.uk/
BTW - don't forget to venture down the end of A Pontoon if we are about......
 
Save a bit of money and start the dismantling yourself; if you drill out the ball bearing cage or fetch it out with a cold chisel and let all the balls fall out, the shafts should be removable. Then you could either drive the races out or grind them out with a dremel.

Have to agree.
Looks very repairable to me. There's no skill in getting the old bearing out. It's just patience. I would save the monies and get to it.
 
Have to agree.
Looks very repairable to me. There's no skill in getting the old bearing out. It's just patience. I would save the monies and get to it.

Absolutely , doesn't look that hard to do , I would look into sealed bearings as a replacement , all fairly standard stuff as said before just get the numbers off side
Of bearing and give to a supplier or use a online place , I be used www.bearingboys.co.uk in the past with no complaints
 
Absolutely , doesn't look that hard to do , I would look into sealed bearings as a replacement , all fairly standard stuff as said before just get the numbers off side
Of bearing and give to a supplier or use a online place , I be used www.bearingboys.co.uk in the past with no complaints

This in spades; give any bearing stockist the inner and outer diameter and the width of the race and he will be able to give you replacements far cheaper than Whitlock(or whoever built the pedestal) can, even assuming they can supply at all. 2RS or RRS is the usual specification for bearings with rubber seals on both sides.
 
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