Stiff Helm
- Thread starter Dan
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Try by oiling all the bearings and the wheel shaft
could the wheel brake be hanging up? Then go inside and lubricate all the gears, pulleys and cables. Next check the rudder shaft and the quadrant. It's a bit of work but you'll find the problem. It could be a cable has jumped from a pulley or the auto pilot control shaft is hanging up. Good luck.
could the wheel brake be hanging up? Then go inside and lubricate all the gears, pulleys and cables. Next check the rudder shaft and the quadrant. It's a bit of work but you'll find the problem. It could be a cable has jumped from a pulley or the auto pilot control shaft is hanging up. Good luck.
Good advice
from Landsend. Check the easiest first, and go from there. Don't forget the chain if you have one. I would recommend going to a motorcycle shop and getting a can of chain lube that the offroad guys use. Pretty good stuff, and fairly water proof.
from Landsend. Check the easiest first, and go from there. Don't forget the chain if you have one. I would recommend going to a motorcycle shop and getting a can of chain lube that the offroad guys use. Pretty good stuff, and fairly water proof.
I agree about looking for
the most obvious causes of steering problems first. I had a similar problem with my H28.5 and none of the easy things were the cause. Not sure how your steering configuration compares to mine, but when my boat was hauled last winter I was surprised to find no evidence of a lower bearing in the rudder tube. Perhaps more importantly, the upper Derlin (or whatever they are made from) bearings were worn out. The bearing holes through which the rudder stock passes, and is then connected to the steering quadrants, were elongated from wear and age. The result was that I had a very "tight spot" when turning the wheel all the way to starboard as the rudder stock was rubbing against the inside of the rudder tube. Not a good thing. I had new upper and lower bearings fabricated over the winter and now my steering is as smooth and precise as that of a new sports car. Everything wears out....
the most obvious causes of steering problems first. I had a similar problem with my H28.5 and none of the easy things were the cause. Not sure how your steering configuration compares to mine, but when my boat was hauled last winter I was surprised to find no evidence of a lower bearing in the rudder tube. Perhaps more importantly, the upper Derlin (or whatever they are made from) bearings were worn out. The bearing holes through which the rudder stock passes, and is then connected to the steering quadrants, were elongated from wear and age. The result was that I had a very "tight spot" when turning the wheel all the way to starboard as the rudder stock was rubbing against the inside of the rudder tube. Not a good thing. I had new upper and lower bearings fabricated over the winter and now my steering is as smooth and precise as that of a new sports car. Everything wears out....
Cables
I don't know what kind of boat you have or what the cable arrangement below deck is but I had a similar situation on my C30 one of the first years of ownership. I was new to wheel steering having sailed with a tiller prior to the C30. The wheel was getting harder and harder to turn until one afternoon the cable snapped and I lost all steering. I put the emergency tiller on and fortunately was relatively close to home and conditions were fairly calm. It was a good drill, the emergency tiller is very short and requires some muscle. Back to the subject, the steering cables had some how come in contact with fiberglass and eventually abraded themselves apart. Take a good look below deck where your steering cables breakout and make sure they are clear!
I don't know what kind of boat you have or what the cable arrangement below deck is but I had a similar situation on my C30 one of the first years of ownership. I was new to wheel steering having sailed with a tiller prior to the C30. The wheel was getting harder and harder to turn until one afternoon the cable snapped and I lost all steering. I put the emergency tiller on and fortunately was relatively close to home and conditions were fairly calm. It was a good drill, the emergency tiller is very short and requires some muscle. Back to the subject, the steering cables had some how come in contact with fiberglass and eventually abraded themselves apart. Take a good look below deck where your steering cables breakout and make sure they are clear!
Hard Steering
Have you greased your rudder post lately? All the advice given has dealt with the cables/chains involved with the steering gear, but I found that the steering on our O'Day 40 became MUCH easier after I wiggled my way aft with the grease gun. Two fittings, one high, one low. FWIW. Bill
Have you greased your rudder post lately? All the advice given has dealt with the cables/chains involved with the steering gear, but I found that the steering on our O'Day 40 became MUCH easier after I wiggled my way aft with the grease gun. Two fittings, one high, one low. FWIW. Bill
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