I have been re-building my steering system on a 1989 Catalina 30. I just replaced the wire and I am in the process of trying to secure the take-up eyes and re-assemble the Radial Drive Wheel. I replaced the chain a few years back and honestly the boat does not get that much use, therefore I re-used the existing chain. I had to replace the wire as it was frayed and in bad shape. I had followed Alan Gomes excellent fix by bypassing the take-up eyes and securing the wire cable directly to the top of the Radial Drive Wheel. I have not been happy with the steering tension for the past two seasons and finally decided it was time to go back to the original design. It is a poor design which causes the rudder post to get cut as the take-up eyes dig into the tube. I may be selling the boat within the year and do not think the steering system would pass a marine survey if left as it was.
I have now spent two afternoons attempting to re-connect the Drive Wheel. Either there is not enough slack to put the pieces back together, or there is too much. I have connected and re-connected the cable so often I lost count. I have contacted Edson, and they have been great, but their advice is generic and does not pertain to the specifics of the Cat 30. The boat is on the hard and the shimmed the rudder so I could remove the Drive Wheel and not have to worry about rudder moving. Actually, since I am a Wing I cannot drop the rudder anyway.
Does anybody recall doing this project and have any advice? I need to keep enough tension to allow the take-up eyes to do their thing. Otherwise my steering will be too loose and the wire will jump the Drive Wheel. It seems the two clamps have to sit so far back, they do not have enough room to allow me to reassemble the Drive Wheel. If I move them up, then it is too loose and I start over again. The only thing I have not tried is assembling everything with the wire off of the Drive Wheel and then attempting to reassemble the entire system. I am going to attempt one more time and then hand it over to the Yard. Something I have been trying to avoid. Also, any suggestions on how to cut off the extra cable. I must have 3 feet left over. I noticed the cable supplied by Edson was cut with a torch since the ends are fused. I am concerned about the cable fraying. I was going to simply wrap it with electrical tape and cut it with a borrowed Cable Cutter. That is unless someone has a better idea.
Many thanks.
I have now spent two afternoons attempting to re-connect the Drive Wheel. Either there is not enough slack to put the pieces back together, or there is too much. I have connected and re-connected the cable so often I lost count. I have contacted Edson, and they have been great, but their advice is generic and does not pertain to the specifics of the Cat 30. The boat is on the hard and the shimmed the rudder so I could remove the Drive Wheel and not have to worry about rudder moving. Actually, since I am a Wing I cannot drop the rudder anyway.
Does anybody recall doing this project and have any advice? I need to keep enough tension to allow the take-up eyes to do their thing. Otherwise my steering will be too loose and the wire will jump the Drive Wheel. It seems the two clamps have to sit so far back, they do not have enough room to allow me to reassemble the Drive Wheel. If I move them up, then it is too loose and I start over again. The only thing I have not tried is assembling everything with the wire off of the Drive Wheel and then attempting to reassemble the entire system. I am going to attempt one more time and then hand it over to the Yard. Something I have been trying to avoid. Also, any suggestions on how to cut off the extra cable. I must have 3 feet left over. I noticed the cable supplied by Edson was cut with a torch since the ends are fused. I am concerned about the cable fraying. I was going to simply wrap it with electrical tape and cut it with a borrowed Cable Cutter. That is unless someone has a better idea.
Many thanks.
