After noting a topic on a steering bracket failure last season, I got in under mine after haul out to inspect the 29 year vintage metal work. A few taps with a hammer and rust flakes, large thick flakes, started falling out.
It took about a day to extricate the assembly, the alloy bolts were thouroghly corroded and had to be drilled out.
The bracket had a slight bend in it and the cables were a little loose, so it was definitely close to failure.
Corrosion was clearly in the vicinity of the floor attachments of the pedestal guard, rather than the pedestal itself, which seems very securely sealed. The holes under the guard brackets to take the instrument wiring were caulked, but the caulking had failed, probably from the movement of the attachment brackets when the guard is used as a hand hold. One bolt in each of the two guard attachment brackets passes through the square tube of the assenbly underneath, and that too showed signs of water ingress.
http://s783.photobucket.com/albums/yy11 ... use028.jpg
I elected to repair the old bracket rather than start from scratch, so had all the corrosion cut out and new pieces welded in, a $250 job. I'll coat it in red primer and it should last another 29 years.
Edson sell a stainless steel pedestal guard bracket for the cockpit floor which may be more resistant to movement than the old plastic ones that were there. I'll also fill in the old holes they drilled in the cockpit floor with epoxy and re drill them, fresh caulk etc. The original work looked a bit slipshod to be honest.
http://s783.photobucket.com/albums/yy11 ... ski154.jpg
Many thanks to the board for bringing this to our attention, suddenly losing steering, probably close hauled in a narrow channel in 25 knts doesn't bear thinking about. thanks again.
A steering bracket failure averted.
Moderator: Jim Walsh
Wow....... that could have ruined a sunny summer day.
Edson has been making that unit from cast aluminum for sometime now.
There can be an issue with older bronze sheave pins corroding. I think they recommend replacing with stainless pins. Check that out with Edson, I'm not an expert, I do recall reading that somewhere.
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HONDA AIRCRAFT COMPANY
Edson has been making that unit from cast aluminum for sometime now.
There can be an issue with older bronze sheave pins corroding. I think they recommend replacing with stainless pins. Check that out with Edson, I'm not an expert, I do recall reading that somewhere.
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HONDA AIRCRAFT COMPANY
Last edited by Ron M. on Feb 11th, '11, 06:15, edited 1 time in total.
I wish I could weld like that as well.... but no, it was done at Mike's Welding Co. in Revere, MA. They put in a heavier gauge tube and rebuilt up places where the rot had gotten to the centre assembly plate.
I was tempted to try and remove the steering pedestal and clean that up as well, but getting it off would probably destroy the cockpit floor from the feel of how well its stuck down, so I'll strip and paint it in situ when it warms up around here.
I was tempted to try and remove the steering pedestal and clean that up as well, but getting it off would probably destroy the cockpit floor from the feel of how well its stuck down, so I'll strip and paint it in situ when it warms up around here.
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Carl Thunberg
- Posts: 1305
- Joined: Nov 21st, '05, 08:20
- Location: CD28 Cruiser "Loon" Poorhouse Cove, ME
Glad you caught it.
When it happened to us, we were actually in the Whaleback Regatta, which is basically a sprint out to the Isles of Shoals and back. Fortunately, we had mounted the emergency tiller where it could quickly be accessed and we were able to limp home. We also had a welding shop repair the old one rather than pay the big bucks for a new one.
We also found the source of the problem as the pedestal guard, not the pedestal, which was well bedded.
If you haven't re-assembled your steering pedestal yet, you might want to think about changing your throttle and transmission cables at the same time, while you're in there. There is a sequence to re-assembling everything. Whatever you do, don't forget about that little bracket that attaches your throttle and transimission cables to the steering pedestal. It's a major PITA to disassemble everything just for one screw after the fact! Don't ask me how I know that. Also, don't drop those little gaskets on either end of the chain gear down the center of the steering pedestal, unless you have four-foot long arms.
Tensioning the cables at the end of the project turned out to be a lot easier than I thought. It helps to have two people when you tension the cables to make sure the top of the wheel is still straight up. Have fun. You'll probably spend about ten or twelve hours under your cockpit sole before you're done.
By the way, take lots of photos. This would be a great Yard Talk article in MASTHEAD. I wish I had thought to document the project with photos at the time.
We also found the source of the problem as the pedestal guard, not the pedestal, which was well bedded.
If you haven't re-assembled your steering pedestal yet, you might want to think about changing your throttle and transmission cables at the same time, while you're in there. There is a sequence to re-assembling everything. Whatever you do, don't forget about that little bracket that attaches your throttle and transimission cables to the steering pedestal. It's a major PITA to disassemble everything just for one screw after the fact! Don't ask me how I know that. Also, don't drop those little gaskets on either end of the chain gear down the center of the steering pedestal, unless you have four-foot long arms.
Tensioning the cables at the end of the project turned out to be a lot easier than I thought. It helps to have two people when you tension the cables to make sure the top of the wheel is still straight up. Have fun. You'll probably spend about ten or twelve hours under your cockpit sole before you're done.By the way, take lots of photos. This would be a great Yard Talk article in MASTHEAD. I wish I had thought to document the project with photos at the time.
CDSOA Commodore - Member No. 725
"The more I expand the island of my knowledge, the more I expand the shoreline of my wonder"
Sir Isaac Newton
"The more I expand the island of my knowledge, the more I expand the shoreline of my wonder"
Sir Isaac Newton
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Steve Laume
- Posts: 4127
- Joined: Feb 13th, '05, 20:40
- Location: Raven1984 Cape Dory 30C Hull #309Noank, CT
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Gawd, am I ever dreading the idea of taking a really close look under there.
With the engine out in a month or so, that would be the time to take a really close look at my steering gear. It seems like the biggest culprit, for water intrusion, is the pedestal guard and I have had that off to rebed. Hopefully I have dodged the bullet and things are looking good under there.
I will also be checking those sheave pins.
Thanks for the heads up and pictures, Steve.
With the engine out in a month or so, that would be the time to take a really close look at my steering gear. It seems like the biggest culprit, for water intrusion, is the pedestal guard and I have had that off to rebed. Hopefully I have dodged the bullet and things are looking good under there.
I will also be checking those sheave pins.
Thanks for the heads up and pictures, Steve.