Corrosion on Steering Drive Wheel

Jan 3, 2014
16
Catalina 30 Miami
I removed the cockpit floor cover leading to the steering drive wheel on my 1989 C-30 and found the attached condition. Is this corroded? If so, how do I stop it, avoid it? Am I in trouble?
 

Attachments

Jul 1, 2004
398
Catalina 30 Atlanta GA
The Edson quadrant..............can I assume you sail in saltwater? I have a 1988 Mark II and the same Edson set up. These compartments always flood and are very tough to seal and waterproof. The tiny drain tube toward the transom get clogged with debris and you have to backflush from the transom drain back to properly clear it out. The quadrant therefore sits in a bath of water either it be fresh, brackish or salt.

I do not know the type of metal Edosn uses (it would be worth asking Edson though).

If it were me, I would start with a heavy metal brush and try to determine how much corrosion is encountered. It could just be surficial. An ice pick can be used as well to determine the depth and extend of corrosion. These are faiirly thick steering quadrants that should last forever! I would assume Edson would not use a material that would be so prone to corrosion or deterioration. My guess is that the problem is more surficial.

Bob

1988 Mark II
 
Jan 6, 2010
1,520
ARM,

I do know, while my 1980 C30 setup is alittle different (I don't have a floorboard cover), here is something to think about. Yea, look to see where water is getting in, finding this, if the cover is the culprit, see about changing the gasket. If sailing in saltwater do the taste test. If salty, look at my next paragraph.

As for another possibility, look to see if water is getting in coming up your rudder shaft. My rudder has two points for sealing(somewhat) the rudder post and tube. I had a wet quadrant & needed to drop the rudder and replace my seals. The lower seals @ the rudder top are basically a water stop when the rudder lifts abit, these stop water from forcing it's way up the tube. These wear out.

CR
 
Jul 1, 2004
398
Catalina 30 Atlanta GA
No matter how I seal my access port, rain water always makes it in. Luckily I am on a Lake and only deal with non-corroding fresh water. Its that pathetically designed drain set up in the quadrant compartment thats needs improving. Its very tough to get back behind the quadrant toward the transom where the drain port is.
 
Jan 6, 2010
1,520
Bob,

I hear ya. Not all designs are created equal. Water leaks can be as tough as electrical problems to chase down & fix.

CR
 
Jul 1, 2004
398
Catalina 30 Atlanta GA
Its a stretch..but I have to wonder if their is an electrolysis problem thats getting to that quadrant? Every once in a while when I get onboard and hold the wheel I will feel a slight shock! Morelike a temporary tingle. I have to wonder whats going on throughtout the steering system besides 12 volt lighting on the binnacle compass and depth sounder. No AC should be close to the system.

Anyone?

Bob
 
Aug 26, 2013
24
Catalina 30 MKII Horseshoe Bay
I removed the cockpit floor cover leading to the steering drive wheel on my 1989 C-30 and found the attached condition. Is this corroded? If so, how do I stop it, avoid it? Am I in trouble?
I found mine in the same condition 2 years ago. It is an awful design that allows corrosion so easily and even worse to work on. ?
I replaced my quadrant as well as the new control cables. It was the most cramped awful job I have ever done. What I found was not only the quadrant corroded but also the rudder stop completely rotted.
I was fortunate enough that my MKII has an open transom giving a little more room to work. Even with that it's a job I hope to never do again.
I try to make it a yearly check to make sure the drain is not blocked and give a bit of oil to the cables and sheaves.
 
Jan 6, 2010
1,520
Bob,

That tingle you mentioned. Does the white powder coating on the pedestal show flaking or signs of electrolysis?

I'm saying this, as I had signs of electrolysis on my pedestal. I discovered that a bonding wire under-deck was attached. I think the quadrant is aluminum cast. There was also a bonding wire to my aluminum fuel tank. There could also be a ground wire energized that might cause this.

Electrolysis ended up eating a hole in the bottom midpoint of the tank. A friend had water/fuel aluminum tanks with those green bonding wires attached. All of the tanks had holes midpoint bottom. He had them remade & within 2 years, all the tanks were leaking from electrolysis. My boat had no ground bus or strap, but only tied into a bolt off my engine mount. so the thinking I assume was to allow stray current a pass thru the engine & out the shaft or vice-versa depending on the direction of the stray current.

My friend had new tanks made & the second time around, disconnected the bonding wires. He's had no problems since. I have a clip-on ground wire to my fuel tank & only clip it on while refueling (diesel).

I'll bet I'll take some flak for this, but if not running elect. systems all the time or nearby boats running 24/7, I have to say this works. The pic of the quadrant in this thread looks like cast aluminum.

CR
 
Jul 1, 2004
398
Catalina 30 Atlanta GA
Appreciate the info Cap.
I am in fresh water but electrolysisi can still occur. I am getting the boat ready for the season and I will check out under the steering area for any wiring besides the compass light. I have yet to spring a leak in my fuel tank. It probably is some stray current, but it goes away instantly after touch. I have to consider as well that the throttle and shift linkage to the engine might carry DC current.

Bob
 
Jan 6, 2010
1,520
Bob,

You have a problem that needs fixing. I discovered recently that current in fresh water is different than that of saltwater. The biggest problem is that stray current(shore power) from a boat in fresh water can kill someone swimming close to the boat. This is NOT the case when swimming in saltwater.
Reference this article from BoatUS:

The Article
======================

Fresh Water + Alternating Current = Danger

Kevin Ritz lost his son Lucas to ESD in 1999, and he shared his story with Seaworthy in "A Preventable Dockside Tragedy" in October of 2009. Since his son's death, Ritz has become a tireless investigator, educator, and campaigner dedicated to preventing similar tragedies. "ESD happens in fresh water where minute amounts of alternating current are present," Ritz said.

What does "minute" mean exactly? Lethal amounts are measured in milliamps, or thousandths of an amp. When flowing directly through the human body, these tiny amounts of current interfere with the even smaller electrical potentials used by our nerves and muscles. Captain David Rifkin and James Shafer conducted extensive testing of all aspects of ESD for a Coast Guard study in 2008, including exposing themselves to low-level currents in fresh water. "Anything above 3 milliamps (mA) can be very painful," Rifkin said. "If you had even 6 mA going through your body, you would be in agonizing pain." Less than a third of the electricity used to light a 40-watt light bulb — 100 mA — passing directly through the heart is almost always fatal.

I was surprised, as an incident in my area happened last year, in fresh water and it was a child. For more info on this:

https://www.google.com/search?sourc...2i10i30l5.0.0.0.15059...........0.JPg0gSS1J7c

There are differences, your job is to recognize them & plan accordingly.....

CR
 
Feb 6, 1998
11,722
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
Guys,

That is not an abnormal looking aluminum quadrant and it appears to be normal surface corrosion. Not a big deal in the whole scheme of things. Wipe it off, coat the quadrant with some Fluid-Film and call it a day..
 
Jan 6, 2010
1,520
Arm,

Mainsail is correct, it's just surface oxidation. Mine looks the same this past twenty years but it's not a problem; it's only normal cast aluminum surface oxidation &NOT a problem.

CR
 
Feb 6, 1998
11,722
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
If it winds up looking like this then you have issues...


This was due to a delrin bushing that cracked and fell out. The radial drive was then riding directly on the bronze rudder packing gland. The bronze was unscathed but not the radial drive.
 

jmish

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Sep 8, 2015
12
Catalina 30 Mk II San Francisco
Hijacking this old thread because it already has the photo I would have to take and upload :) I have a 1988 Cat MkII, with the steering quadrant looking like armandolio's. I just finished unclogging the drain, and replacing the aged drain hose and thru-hull. Like armandolio, my quadrant is missing the rudder stop. It has the mounting holes, but the wiring would be in the way of it operating correctly (or so it seems). Did these Catalinas ship without a rudder stop? Is it possible to retrofit one?
 
Sep 1, 2014
48
catalina 30 Oxnard CA
The Edson for the C27 could use even the same part #'s
The OP's 'corrusion' is not that big of a problem. Just clean the quadrant, dry it off good and paint it. Changing the steering cables on the 27 was a real chore as it was so tight.
My C30 has a steering stick which I modified after seeing a picture of a newer C39 setup, I have added a verticle stick, push right to go right and pull left to go left. I am now looking for a Simrad tiller pilot/autopilot to keep the boat pointed into the wind when dropping the main, I did hook the Dutchman system up which was on the boat when I got it. The problem with the C27 is the quadrant was at the bottom of the anchor locker so the wet anchor, chain and rope would drip on the quadrant then drain into the bilge The stops are just wood that can be replaced. The post that is pressed into the quadrant has a thick rubber tube or hose that takes up some of the impact when it hits the wood stop.
 
Jun 29, 2011
142
Catalina 30 Mk II Gibsons
After Aaron did his , I did mine, had some squeaks and bumps in the steering before, but after a good clean out on the corrosion and lubricating the cables, the steering works quite well.
 
Jul 9, 2015
10
Catalina 28 MK II Brentwood Bay, BC
Thank you for the above discussion. I have a 1999 Cat. 29 Mark II with the open cable system and wheel. My steering quadrant looks like those described; rather dreadful looking, but I don't think it is corroded despite the flakes of metal laying at the bottom of the, what do you call that area that holds the quadrant below the sole of the cockpit? A really dumb design. Anyway, I am trying to plug the leakage where the quadrant is as it leaks down into the hold. I think I have the crack in the fiberglass that is in the lower part of the 'what every', but there is a dime sized hole immediately under the quadrant on the little step up. I fiberglassed it from below (not a fun job!!), but it still leaks. I thought of removing the quadrant, but the thing looks fused to the rudder post. Any idea why there is a big hole under the quadrant?
 
Jun 29, 2011
142
Catalina 30 Mk II Gibsons
Looks like mine did, now I clean it every Spring, Aaron on Rosa Maria was a few slips away from me and when I saw his, I went to work on mine.