Merriman or Edson Binnacle on Hunter 34

[Ilanortho]

I finally pulled the top off my binnacle on 1986 Hunter 34. Reading previous threads it appeared to be a Merriman with a 1" non-tapered shaft for the wheel, and a guard and yoke that were 1" diameter with 9 1/2" between centers.

I want to replace the guard so I can mount instruments, and found that Navpod makes guards with these dimensions so it fits my yoke and base dimensions and come in different configs for desired instrument arrays. (Most guards are of larger dimensions for Edson pedestals, and the one yoke I found that will fit Merriman binnacle and Edson guards is for a guard too wide for the pedestal base!)

Needless to say I was delighted to find the Navpod guard that will fit the stock yoke and is not too wide for the cockpit floor base on the boat.

As I am stripping 30 years of crud off the yoke I find it cast with an Edson logo. What gives? Is my pedestal an Edson or a Merriman?

 

[Charlie98117]

Look on the base of the pedestal, that's where mine says Merriman. Is it possible that someone used an Edson yoke? I read somewhere that the standard Merriman pedestal guard installation was a 12" center model. My H34 came with a 9-1/2" center guard that was mounted on the pedestal base but there are old holes on 12" centers forward of the base on the cockpit sole. My guess was someone switched it out at some point. My yoke looks to be a piece of aluminum that was fabricated to fit.

I recently went through the same exercise to add electronics at the helm. I ended up getting a new 1-1/4" guard because I read that some connectors much less all the wires wouldn't fit in the 1" size. I simply put a grinder on a drill and reamed out the holes in the yoke and it all worked out great. The new guard also allowed me to raise the electronics a little further away from the binnacle compass than would have been possible with the old guard.

 

[Ilanortho]

Very nice picture; thank you.
I do not have any evidence of conversion, and if I go forward off the base, it won't align with the yoke. The base measures 12" wide and is elevated fiberglass, so if I go to 12+ inches, there will be fiberglass remodeling involved. I plan to mount only a chartplotter (other instruments on the cabin wall). I'm afraid if I widen the yoke holes it may break in the future when it has to be removed (was a bear this time).

BTW, what kind of dodger do you have? Mine is very flimsy support structure. Yours looks nice. Thanks again. Ilan

 

[Charlie98117]

Yes, I agree. 12" centers will not fit on the pedestal. I have what appears to be an old installation that is forward of the pedestal. I currently have the 9-1/2" centers mounted on the pedestal. My yoke was easy to ream out because it was simply 1/4" aluminum plate. You can see it in this photo sort of sandwiched between the pedestal base and the control head.

The larger diameter guard comes with a base that has flanges. It was a challenge to contain these flanges on the pedestal, I decided to angle them as the only solution that allowed 2 screws per base. Found a photo of the install, don't know why it comes in upside down. You can also see the bolts plugging holes that I think used to be the 12" center installation.

The dodger is just a 1" tube affair made by a local company, the frame is solid but the canvas is old and needs to be replaced.

 

[Ilanortho]

Thanks for the pics. My pedestal does not have the name at the bottom like yours does. I like your guard sockets. My yoke is cast aluminum and much thicker than yours. Does your local company make dodger frames to ship?

 

[Charlie98117]

I looked up in the receipt file that came with the boat and it turns out the last work in '07 was a new dodger on an existing frame so I don't really know who built it in the first place.

I would think you could find someone local to you, or at least a lot closer. A quick google search for marine canvas Sturgeon Bay gives me Dorsal Sails and Canvas and several others. I could take some photos that show the design of mine if you like.

Around here the gold standard for dodgers is Iverson but at $4K I'll probably just be getting another recover.

 

[Ilanortho]

I will try Dorsal sails; they already have 2 of my sails in for repair; don't know if they build frames. Thanks again. Ilan