1987 Catalina 30 Edsel steering system

[ClarenceJames]

My C30 has a radial drive wheel mounted in a shallow well located aft of the Edson steering pedestal.
The steering mechanism uses chain and wire to turn the rudder. In this boat it is not possible to slacken the wire since the wire has Nico compression
fittings at the point where the wire turns around the corner and into the eye bolts. This all started with me trying to change the control cables and pull them up to one side of the steering shaft at the top of the pedestal. The chain has to be slacked off enough to lift it off the sprocket in order to pull the control cable block up and disconnect the cables.
Someone out there must have a similar situation.
Thank you,
Jim mcmullen

 

[jimmcgee]

Check out this link
http://www.edsonmarine.com/support/techsupport.php
They have PDF's with maintenance info on all their products. You just need to figure out which model is installed on your boat.

 

[ClarenceJames]

Thank you for your reply, I have spoken with Edson marine and also checked out there website. We (Edson and I) went through all the questions that they ask and determined which steering system I have. That is the reason I am reaching out to owners of the 1987 C30 to see if there is anyone
That has actually experienced this same situation and how they have approached their repair.
Jim McMullen

 

[jeepbluetj]

Mine has the radial drive wheel under the cockpit (MK I) - but I do have eyebolts to tension the wire.

You can call catalina, and they'll likely send you the drawings for the MK II steering system. (Or at least give you some help)

 

[ClarenceJames]

Thanks for the reply,
The eye bolts on my boat are on the under side of of the radial wheel.
Can you see the eye bolts on your boat?

 

[jeepbluetj]

Yup - they're a pain to get to (boat yoga in the quarter berth) but I can see em and tighten em. But my C-30 is a MK I, you've got the MK II - they moved the access to the radial drive wheel. There's got to be a way to tighten the eyebolts. I'd still say a quick call to Catalina would help.

 

[ClarenceJames]

Thanks I will give them another call.

 

[George Da Porge]

If you're on the hard you can support the rudder with lines going under it secured to the stern cleats (I suppose you could also do this in the water, just riskier). Then remove the emergency tiller bolt, loosen the quadrant cable bolts, loosen the 4 bolts holding the quadrant together and lift the quadrant off the rudder shaft. If you actually want to remove the cables from the quadrant you'll need to remove the stop bracket on the underside of it.

 

[druid]

My 1985 Cat 36 had Edson "pull-pull" steering system: the cables went into conduit to make the corner and route to the quadrant rather than using pulleys. Problem is, it wasn't installed properly (according to Edson, and the fact that it FAILED). The corner was too tight (too sharp a radius) and there was no way to lubricate the cable inside the conduit. I rebuilt the system, still using the "pull-pull" system but with proper radius bends and with lubricating points installed.

If you HAVE the "pull-pull" system I would recommend you at least find a way to lubricate it.

Having said ALL that: iirc you can still slack off the cables using the tightening bolts on the quadrant. There HAS to be a way to get at them...

druid