Tiller to Pedestal Steering Conversion

[sailingdog]

The older MacGregors were much better sailboats than the newer ones...The venture is a pretty good one...have fun with it. Probably geting chilly in Colorado.

Originally Posted by N0NJY

Well, TECHNICALLY, no boat. Until Saturday.

We're picking up a "practice boat" Saturday morning, doing some work on it and putting it in a lake in the spring after we finish some classes.

The boat is a 1979 MacGregor Venture 25. It needs a bit of work, but it's intact and pretty clean.. ok, well, a bachelor owned it, it needs cleaning too... but it's in sailable condition right now. It's just getting to the point here in Colorado I don't think I want to take it out just yet.

As I pointed out in my sign in message, I am not a sailor (and I think I mentioned that in some other messages too....) - I'm an "Airman" - or was, retired. I've been around boats a lot - and been on sailboats, but never actually sailed one. There's some more information in the introduction forum in my thread I started.

[Faster]

Originally Posted by bubb2

I have sailed a couple older Pearson's 28"s that were converted to wheels. Both used a hydraulic conversion. It was very sloppy steering. I would recommend a chain and cable system.

Edson also offers a Link & Lever system - which we have on our current boat - that is very solid and has good feel. The wheel turns a ring and pinion, a vertical shaft in the column rotates a swing arm lever that is pushrod linked to an arm pinned to the rudder post. Very robust and no cable stretch/drag issues.

We are very pleased with it, and glad the PO changed out the old chain/cable setup.

[Delirious]

We had a similar set-up on our Pearson 27. The rudder was hung on the transom and the wheel quadrant moved a lever arm hooked to a rigid arm which connected to the tiller. For someone new to a wheel (me) it was nice to be able to look back and see the rudder.

[N0NJY]

Originally Posted by sailingdog

The older MacGregors were much better sailboats than the newer ones...The venture is a pretty good one...have fun with it. Probably geting chilly in Colorado.

It's getting wayyyy chilly here

We're headed out at dawn tomorrow to go from Colorado Springs over to Gunnison - which is over the top of Monarch Pass. The pass is about 12000 feet. My Jeep won't have any problems hauling the boat and trailer on relatively flat land, but it isn't going to go over that pass with the boat on it.

Taking my son's Dodge Ram truck... man that's a big truck. Anyway, the owner has offered to bring her over the pass anyway, so we should be fine either way.

We plan to clean the boat up - it's is good shape, and I need to build a new tiller and rudder for her this winter, plus do some major rewiring. The original wiring on some of it is there, and it uses open fuse blocks sitting near gas tanks. Ummm no thanks I don't need a floating bomb going out in the water with me.

Anyway, my wife has some plans, and Camradarie already suggested I change out the existing alcohol stove (since it's one of those pressure stoves).

He said they are incidents of those stoves with blowby or something. (They are similar to those you use on camping trips with a tank that is pressurized using a hand pump). I've never had trouble with those sorts of stoves (and I do a lot of camping with various types of small gas/alcohol stoves) but, I'll take the advice.

The rudder appears to have been snapped in half on this boat - probably hitting something. The tiller arm is well worn and starting to become a very dry kindling. Anyway, I can do woodworking so the tiller arm is easy. Have to do some research on the type of rudder I should build though (be it wood, or some other material).

[Banshi]

I have found two advantages with my pedestal that I would not want to do without on my boat. In heavy weather when I am sailing alone the wheel makes for a superior hand hold when sitting out on the windward rail and the pedestal itself makes for a great foot hold to keep you up on the rail and not constantly fighting the tendency to slide back into the cockpit.

[sailingdog]

Pressurized stoves are bit more dangerous on a boat, since corrosion is generally more of a factor.

If you want to buy a rudder instead, you can always look at IdaSailor, which makes rudders for a lot of smaller sailboats.

Originally Posted by N0NJY

It's getting wayyyy chilly here

We're headed out at dawn tomorrow to go from Colorado Springs over to Gunnison - which is over the top of Monarch Pass. The pass is about 12000 feet. My Jeep won't have any problems hauling the boat and trailer on relatively flat land, but it isn't going to go over that pass with the boat on it.

Taking my son's Dodge Ram truck... man that's a big truck. Anyway, the owner has offered to bring her over the pass anyway, so we should be fine either way.

We plan to clean the boat up - it's is good shape, and I need to build a new tiller and rudder for her this winter, plus do some major rewiring. The original wiring on some of it is there, and it uses open fuse blocks sitting near gas tanks. Ummm no thanks I don't need a floating bomb going out in the water with me.

Anyway, my wife has some plans, and Camradarie already suggested I change out the existing alcohol stove (since it's one of those pressure stoves).

He said they are incidents of those stoves with blowby or something. (They are similar to those you use on camping trips with a tank that is pressurized using a hand pump). I've never had trouble with those sorts of stoves (and I do a lot of camping with various types of small gas/alcohol stoves) but, I'll take the advice.

The rudder appears to have been snapped in half on this boat - probably hitting something. The tiller arm is well worn and starting to become a very dry kindling. Anyway, I can do woodworking so the tiller arm is easy. Have to do some research on the type of rudder I should build though (be it wood, or some other material).

[sailingdog]

I find sliding isn't much of a problem in my cockpit...

Originally Posted by Banshi

I have found two advantages with my pedestal that I would not want to do without on my boat. In heavy weather when I am sailing alone the wheel makes for a superior hand hold when sitting out on the windward rail and the pedestal itself makes for a great foot hold to keep you up on the rail and not constantly fighting the tendency to slide back into the cockpit.