Wheel conversion

Phoenix of Hamble

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28 Aug 2003
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East Coast
mishapsandmemories.blogspot.com
While I am very happy with our boat, tiller and all, I did initially look for a wheel steerer, but found the appropriate boats slightly out of our price range...

Recently though I did possibly chance upon a wheel kit removed from, I believe, a Moody.....

So my question is.... any one got any experience/advice/warnings from undertaking a wheel conversion?

The kit includes all parts neccessary, from the quadrant, pulleys, cables, pedestal and wheel......

I know a few things that are important, and the seller is checking for me, such as the diameter of the quadrant bore, and the height of the pedestal for clearance etc etc....

I have relatively easy access to the rudder shaft, which is through a seal at the base, and therefore open to fitting the quadrant in the correct place (and also conveniently vertical)... there is a very solid deck in the aft end of the cockpit for mounting the pedestal and pulleys...

I am also aware of the need to have a solid location for the quadrant on the rudder post...ideally keyed, but to avoid removing the rudder my thoughts are to tap two holes in the rudder post, and bolt through to provide a positive location....(I have seen this recommended as a viable approach to locating the quadrant)

If the quadrant's bore is too small, I can get the casting machined... if it is too big, then I am thinking about the possibility of getting a stainless 'collar' machined up (rather like a set of valve colletts for those who are engine gurus!)

I am speculating that the cable length can either be adjusted through the fitting onto the quadrant, or via careful location of the cable pulleys, or in the worst case a new cable shouldn't be too hard to source....

I have also looked at Edson Marine's website, at their kits... and the quadrant size, and wheel diameter are about bang in the middle of the size ranges suggested for the boat length.....

Is there anything else I need to think about....
 
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