all port turns with my edson

[ted long]

My edson wheel (chain) is very hard to turn to starboard. (no the brake is not on). It turns very easy to port. I disconnected it at the rudder and the rudder turns freely. The chain appears to be moving with out binding. Could the arm that pushed and pulls the rudder be binding? I want to install a simrad autopilot and I am concerned about the effort it takes to turn the wheel. help.thanks............Ted

 

[Larry Watkins]

Wheel hard to turn

Ted; Something is binding/rubbing/chafing somewhere. You'll have to inspect the whole system. If you can't find it, disassemble the cables than go around the quadrant. If still hard, it must be in the binnacle, etc. Eliminate parts of the system one at a time and persevere. Good luck.Larry

 

[Walt]

HARD TO STARBOARD

If you are driving a catalina 30 under power this is a standard condition. In fact if you let go of the wheel the boat will go to the port. This is a condition caused from prop wash. Under sail she should handle equally to port or stbd.

 

[Ed Schenck]

Call Edson.

Not familiar with a chain-drive that does not use wire to the quadrant. Do you really have a gear drive with a single arm to the quadrant? I'd talk directly to Edson.

 

[Don]

Sounds like.......

one of the pulleys on the bottom of the pedistal is not turning. Turning the wheel in one direction will cause one cable to be tight and the other somewhat slack. The slack one slides over the pulley. When you go the opposite direction, the tight cable is binding on the pulley. Hence, it only binds in one direction.