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I don't think some of you understand just how tight it is down around the quadrant. I honestly don't think that one could get to the rudder post to cut it off, at least not before the floor was cut out and the shaft pulled up. Same goes for cutting the quadrant out of there. There is no room to get a sawzall in there, without cutting something out. I did attempt to take a sawzall and cut the pinch bolts where the quadrant splits, but just no way to get to it. It would have been easier to break the quadrant up with a big hammer than to cut it with a sawzall. Plus cutting it out if possible, would have certainly got the shaft. If you consider all the possibilities, which I did, cutting the floor out was the obvious choice. There is also the fact that today is my 72nd birthday, and I am 6'4", and no where near as limber as I once was. I don't have any idea of how much a quadrant would cost, but I would bet money 500 bucks wouldn't do it. The little backing plate under the pedestal with the two pulleys on it, is 400. Don't even want to know about the quadrant. Putting the floor back in is not a big deal. I'm going to put it in without any consideration to ever taking it out again. Marine ply across and under it, stuck down with west system epoxy, bevel the cut and pour the crack full of CPE. Then a couple of layers of glass and some new anti-skid. Good as new and just as strong. The bonus of all this is it is going to be much easier to do some other repairs, such as replacing the backing plate under the pedestal, and replacing the packing on the rudder post. Overall, I think that I made the proper decision, even after it's done. And if not, I will just live with it.
