Wheel brake - what the heck is it for?

[garymcg]

Greetings

Please forgive my ignorance here as I'm a relatively new sailboat owner.

I have a wheel brake on my Edson pedestal. I googled and googled, came up with a bunch of replacement parts but I still need to know: what the heck do I do with it? What's it used for? I know it stops the wheel, but in what situation would I want to do that?

Thanks in advance

Gary

[AjariBonten]

Heaving To, I believe.

You could also lock it and try out Giu's "steering the boat by sail" video lesson!

[byrondv]

Can be a nice thing if you want to take your hands off the wheel - but for the most part I use it in my slip so I don't have to worry about the water moving my rudder around and potentially damaging it.

[mwrohde]

In addition to heaving to, I use mine if I need to walk up front for something. The boat still turns due to my shifting the weight around, but it holds course better than if the rudder is left un-fastened.

[TrueBlue]

Poor man's autopilot.

[garymcg]

Originally Posted by AjariBonten

Heaving To, I believe.

You could also lock it and try out Giu's "steering the boat by sail" video lesson!

Ok, that makes sense. Thanks.

[Vasco]

I thought it was for slowing down the boat when I'm going over ten knots!!

But seriously, I always lock the wheel when not underway. It stops the rudder from slamming back and forth when it kicks up at anchor.

[Giulietta]

The lock is also used when you have to be towed, important this is.

When you're docking in areas with currents, for cleaning of the rudder, to prevent cycling of rudder shaft while docked due to side movements of the boat, to locke the whell at anchor so its not moving everytime people go by it..etc. etc. etc.

[bsfree]

As well as to stop the rudder moving when docked/moored/towed, it can be used, as TB says, as a form of autopilot. You get on the course you want, then balance your sails and lock off the steering. Works pretty well till the wind changes, then you have to make adjustments.

[erps]

When we park the boat, I turn the rudder against one of the stops and then lock the wheel brake to keep the steering system from working back and forth as well. Also, with an auxilary rudder steering vane type system, you get your rig pretty well balanced and then lock your main rudder with the wheel brake and then the auxilary rudder takes over with the fine adjustments (like a hydrovane system)