Wednesday 1 June 2005

Wheel of fortune....

While I have a list of tasks/jobs that need doing as long as my arm, I am busily finding all sorts of other interesting jobs that aren't anywhere near as urgent, and getting on with them instead.... When we were shopping for a boat originally, we ummed and arred about whether we wanted a wheel or not, and part of the reason for ending up with a tiller was financial.... I however, have recently been pointed at a wheel kit that is for sale, that specification wise meets my needs exactly, and I am seriously considering whether or not to have ago at fitting it...... I am thinking that it will firstly make the steering a bit more fun for the kids and SWMBO, but also that it won't do the re-sale value any harm either. The cockpit area of the boat is fitted with a seperate pit for the helmsman, and so a wheel would be a relatively straightforward addition in the cockpit... The only really major challenge would be fitting the quadrant to the rudder post. I need to look at the weekend to see how the rudder post is presented internally... and whether there is a seal/bearing at the bottom, and then a bare post, or whether it runs through a tube all the way up to the deck where the tiller fits onto a normal square peg..... if that is the case I don't think I'll bother, as the additional hassle of cutting the rudder tube, and fitting a seal is more trouble than its worth.... If however, the post is exposed... then it could be very doable.... alternatively, I could fit the quadrant to the square peg at the top anyway, and hide all the mechanism in a seat for the helmsman.... It also has the added advantage of having a space for a binnacle compass, so would avoid me having to cut a hole in the bulkhead.... Food for thought......

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