MERRIMAN STEERING GEAR 1985

[JSCHMIDT77]

HELP. I have a craCked idler sheave assembly st the base of the Merriman steering pedestal on a 1985 Hunter 34. I am desparate to find the part. It is the starboard sheave CAST METAL assembly which joins with the port assembly around a 'collett' at the base of the pedestal, and directs the steering cables aft to the rudder quadrant. Anyone know where I can find one? HELP. JSCHMIDT77@AOL.COM

 

[Steve Dion]

Lots of luck!

As you are probably aware, this stuff is hard to find. My first suggestion is to contact Edson and see if they have an equivilant part that you could use. Next, find a boat junk yard. There were many mfg. that used their stuff, so it availalbe.As a last resort, go to a machine shop and ask them to make you one. You have all the parts so it is not ROCKET science. Sometimes these guys can do wonderful things at a reasonable price. Someone could probably make one out of steel and then you could have it powder coated after the season is over.PS: was your boat originally in salt water?

 

[Mark M Smith]

Take it all to a welder....

I have done some work on mine and have come to find that Eddison parts will not fit. Your best shot is to take it all to a welder and have parts fabricated if missing.

 

[Ray Bowles]

NO PROBLEM. The cast metal that broke is

probably not going to weld up worth a damn. A very easy, strong and cheap repair is to simply make a new bracket out of steel or stainless steel. Your broken bracket would simply be replaced with a base plate drilled for the mounting bolts. The "ears" are drilled for the wheel axle. The ears are welded to the base plate and your done.RayS/V Speedy

 

[Bill O'Donovan]

If you want to replace it...

Call Greg Stokes at York River Yacht Haven. He's the service manager who replaced my cracked sheeve wheel by shipping it to the manufacturer in Los Angeles. Or you could send your photo, which is excellent. Call Greg at 804 642-9490 for name, address, phone, email.