Wheel's too big.

[Graham_Wright]

May years ago, I bought a wheel for the helm of my boat. It was advertised on ebay in Italy at 110 mm diameter.
This size did not tie in with the attached photographs but perhaps put other potential buyers off.
I was the only bidder and it duly arrived properly wrapped and free postage. My bid was £45.

However, it has proved too big (really 1100mm if you haven't guessed). It is difficult to squeeze past and efforts to find a smaller one at a sensible price have proved fruitless.
I have asked a local fabricator to rebuild it at 800mm. Quote was £150.

It will need re-anodising. Local anodising company is reluctant - "probably porous and the sulphuric acid will eat it away".

Sounds nonsense to me.

 

[sarabande]

Flog it, and buy a smaller one. Have you tried

Yachts & Yachty bits for sale (Europe) | Facebook

or

Boat Scrapyard | Groups | Facebook

 

[Graham_Wright]

I don't do facebook but the wheel's been chopped now anyway.

 

[penfold]

Do you need it to be aluminium? Plenty of SS wheels available off the shelf and fabricators if you insist on a non-standard size.

 

[Graham_Wright]

Do you need it to be aluminium? Plenty of SS wheels available off the shelf and fabricators if you insist on a non-standard size.

Steer? - at a sensible price.
The other consideration is that it needs to fit on the binnacle shaft - without modification.

The wheel is in work and probably finished now.No responses to the anodising question.

 

[dunedin]

Personally one of my big hates is a tiny wheel - helm is stuck in centre of boat with poor visibility, and almost impossible to see jib telltales.
Big wheel good, twin wheels better for actual sailing.

The helm is one of the most important parts of the boat. In this situation I might have invested in one of the folding wheels Lewmar Folding Wheel with Hide Cover (Dual Hub)

 

[RupertW]

Personally one of my big hates is a tiny wheel - helm is stuck in centre of boat with poor visibility, and almost impossible to see jib telltales.
Big wheel good, twin wheels better for actual sailing.

The helm is one of the most important parts of the boat. In this situation I might have invested in one of the folding wheels Lewmar Folding Wheel with Hide Cover (Dual Hub)

I wish they did folding wheels as big as our existing fixed one but I agree with you that a big wheel is great for steering from the side (high or low) so you get maximum visibility of sails and feel for the boat. I also like the leverage of a big wheel.

 

[WindyWindyWindy]

In this situation I might have invested in one of the folding wheels Lewmar Folding Wheel with Hide Cover (Dual Hub)

Am I the only one thinking that 1100 quid for a wheel is quite a lot?

 

[dunedin]

Am I the only one thinking that 1100 quid for a wheel is quite a lot?

For a sailing boat, I like to invest money in things that make it SAIL better - decent sails, decent rig controls …… decent steering.

Better priorities for investment, for me, than TV screens, generators, electric loos etc

 

[WindyWindyWindy]

For a sailing boat, I like to invest money in things that make it SAIL better - decent sails, decent rig controls …… decent steering.

Better priorities for investment, for me, than TV screens, generators, electric loos etc

If someone suggested 1100 for a TV I'd suggest that was a lot too.

 

[Neeves]

Look at home anodising. Plenty of YouTube vids. Not difficult - but you do need a lot of acid (which you then need to dispose of). The biggest issue is the size of the bath you will need, but it will also be a very shallow batch, Childs paddling pool comes to mind. I've never, obviously, anodised something quite that big - so check whether size is an issue in getting even anodising. Forget colouring.

There are anodisers all over Sydney and I am sure the same is true of the UK - shop around.

Oddly, or not - but I've never seen an aluminium wheel. Or have I misunderstood something somewhere.

Jonathan

 

[Aussie farmer]

Buy a boat 10x bigger and it will fit perfectly.

 

[xyachtdave]

Can you not powder coat it?

I'd think this is an easier process for a large item.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Look at home anodising. Plenty of YouTube vids. Not difficult - but you do need a lot of acid (which you then need to dispose of). The biggest issue is the size of the bath you will need, but it will also be a very shallow batch, Childs paddling pool comes to mind. I've never, obviously, anodised something quite that big - so check whether size is an issue in getting even anodising. Forget colouring.

There are anodisers all over Sydney and I am sure the same is true of the UK - shop around.

Oddly, or not - but I've never seen an aluminium wheel. Or have I misunderstood something somewhere.

Jonathan

Almost impossible for an individual to now buy the Sulphuric acid in the UK. From what I understand you need a "licence" to purchase it, a lot of the small one man band anodisers seem to have disappeared following Covid and the commercial ones either don't want to know or charge a fortune. I learned this from a friend recently who does a lot of machining in Aluminium alloys for his various hobbies and needs to get them anodised.

 

[Neeves]

Almost impossible for an individual to now buy the Sulphuric acid in the UK. From what I understand you need a "licence" to purchase it, a lot of the small one man band anodisers seem to have disappeared following Covid and the commercial ones either don't want to know or charge a fortune. I learned this from a friend recently who does a lot of machining in Aluminium alloys for his various hobbies and needs to get them anodised.

Another reason its called the lucky country - sulphuric acid freely available?

I had heard the supply was restricted - but forgot.

Jonathan

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Another reason its called the lucky country - sulphuric acid freely available?

I had heard the supply was restricted - but forgot.

Jonathan

It is both a precursor for the manufacture of some explosives and also has been used in some of the acid throwing attacks that seem to becoming popular in the UK.

 

[Neeves]

It is both a precursor for the manufacture of some explosives and also has been used in some of the acid throwing attacks that seem to becoming popular in the UK.

I don't think that throwing acid is restricted to or more popular in the UK than other locations - but passing comment might be deemed as racist - so I'll leave it be. Use in explosives is outside my areas of interest - so I bow to your greater knowledge. I'm sure we have enough fertiliser and sugar without the need for acid as well.

I only anodise smallish items and so a few litres is enough for me.

Jonathan

 

[Graham_Wright]

Buy a boat 10x bigger and it will fit perfectly.

Then it will have two wheels and possibly two consequent problems!