I am considering installing or haveing installed a wheel steering system on my 1974 Catalina 27. Now I got the parts list and basic instuctions but I would much rather get info from my fellow Catalina owners. You people are a wealth of knowlege. I would like if possable a note from someone who has done this before. Any help would be great. Winter is comming her in New England and I have the time to do it. Thanks, Joe P
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LaDonna Bubak - Catalina Owners
Just a thought
I'm not really trying to discourage you but I just wanted to bring up something you might not have thought of. Is the wheel really worth it? First off, you'll be shelling out somewhere in the range of $1000, right? Unless you bought your boat for a song (and I mean a SONG), you probably won't get that much more if it has a wheel than a tiller. That might be something to consider before taking the plunge. Also, you will lose a lot of "sensation" with a wheel. Basically you can't feel what the rudder is doing, so you will have a delayed reaction time. Out of curiosity, what are your reasons for wanting to switch? Is it that you're just not used to it, cuz you'll get used to it in no time and come to enjoy being able adjust minutely. You might even want to give it a little time before committing to the project. Anyway, just a thought and remember, there's no such thing as an emergency *wheel*. LaDonna
I'm not really trying to discourage you but I just wanted to bring up something you might not have thought of. Is the wheel really worth it? First off, you'll be shelling out somewhere in the range of $1000, right? Unless you bought your boat for a song (and I mean a SONG), you probably won't get that much more if it has a wheel than a tiller. That might be something to consider before taking the plunge. Also, you will lose a lot of "sensation" with a wheel. Basically you can't feel what the rudder is doing, so you will have a delayed reaction time. Out of curiosity, what are your reasons for wanting to switch? Is it that you're just not used to it, cuz you'll get used to it in no time and come to enjoy being able adjust minutely. You might even want to give it a little time before committing to the project. Anyway, just a thought and remember, there's no such thing as an emergency *wheel*. LaDonna
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Bob Camarena
A Step Further
I'll go a step further than LaDonna and try to discourage you. I think you'll give up to much. Sure the wheel looks cool, but LaDonna is right about the trade-offs. Many would argue that even the C-30 is too small for a wheel. Bob
I'll go a step further than LaDonna and try to discourage you. I think you'll give up to much. Sure the wheel looks cool, but LaDonna is right about the trade-offs. Many would argue that even the C-30 is too small for a wheel. Bob
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Bill Williams
IT's Definitely Worth It!
Last spring I did a tiller to wheel conversion on my Catalina 27. If have found it to be great on several fronts. I did a Pull-pull cable conversion, and it doesn't use any pulleys. Edson has a bulletin on this conversion. I did not lose any "feeling" for the rudder. I can turn the boat faster when necessary, and also allow non sailors to come on board and easily steer the boat. Since they're used to a wheel from driving, and the tiller confuses most landlubbers, it's GREAT! Since I'm used to sailing bigger boats with wheels, this gives me the same feel and control I'm user to. Go for it!
Last spring I did a tiller to wheel conversion on my Catalina 27. If have found it to be great on several fronts. I did a Pull-pull cable conversion, and it doesn't use any pulleys. Edson has a bulletin on this conversion. I did not lose any "feeling" for the rudder. I can turn the boat faster when necessary, and also allow non sailors to come on board and easily steer the boat. Since they're used to a wheel from driving, and the tiller confuses most landlubbers, it's GREAT! Since I'm used to sailing bigger boats with wheels, this gives me the same feel and control I'm user to. Go for it!
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John Eastin
wheel v. tiller
Our C27 has a tiller and it took me (a newbie sailor) some time to get used to it. Of course the good thing was the boat is forgiving and corrections (and over corrections) were easily made. Last week I had a chance to sail with a friend on his C30 which has a wheel. He told me he has always had wheels on his own boats but would not go to the expense of changing from a tiller to a wheel. I also noticed he still had the hardware into which he could quickly attach his "emergency" tiller which was probably stock on the boat. I did notice a pause after I turned the wheel until the boat began to change course. This led to some oversteering but within about 10 minutes I had it under control and we did fine. One final thought. One of my sailing mentors taught me the simplicity of standing in the cockpit with the tiller between my knees while steering. Am sure this would be awkward with the wheel and this short little fat man would be too far off the deck to be of much use to anyone....Good luck whatever your decision.
Our C27 has a tiller and it took me (a newbie sailor) some time to get used to it. Of course the good thing was the boat is forgiving and corrections (and over corrections) were easily made. Last week I had a chance to sail with a friend on his C30 which has a wheel. He told me he has always had wheels on his own boats but would not go to the expense of changing from a tiller to a wheel. I also noticed he still had the hardware into which he could quickly attach his "emergency" tiller which was probably stock on the boat. I did notice a pause after I turned the wheel until the boat began to change course. This led to some oversteering but within about 10 minutes I had it under control and we did fine. One final thought. One of my sailing mentors taught me the simplicity of standing in the cockpit with the tiller between my knees while steering. Am sure this would be awkward with the wheel and this short little fat man would be too far off the deck to be of much use to anyone....Good luck whatever your decision.
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Richard
don't do it!
I just upgraded last year from a tiller catalina 27 to a wheel 30. I certainly like the feel and simplicity of the tiller better. The only downside of a tiller is that it takes up a bit of the cockpit, but then so would a wheel on a 27. The best thing about a tiller on a 27 is that you can reach all the lines easily so you can solo sail with no problems. I can't reach half the lines on my 30 so the electronic autopilot is the only way to single hand now. We won't even get into the $ it is costing me to replace the steering cables, conduits, etc now! Edson charges more than anyone I have ever seen so far in the marine industry for parts.
I just upgraded last year from a tiller catalina 27 to a wheel 30. I certainly like the feel and simplicity of the tiller better. The only downside of a tiller is that it takes up a bit of the cockpit, but then so would a wheel on a 27. The best thing about a tiller on a 27 is that you can reach all the lines easily so you can solo sail with no problems. I can't reach half the lines on my 30 so the electronic autopilot is the only way to single hand now. We won't even get into the $ it is costing me to replace the steering cables, conduits, etc now! Edson charges more than anyone I have ever seen so far in the marine industry for parts.
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Bruce Huber
TILLER TO WHEEL STEERING
I installed an Edson wheel system about a year ago on m '78 C-27. It wasn't very hard to do at all. It's the best thing I ever did to the boat. It seem to chang the boat completely. I love it. Just make sure you install the stuffing box for the rudder post low enough to allow clearence for the quadrant. The scarry part is drilling the hole in the rudder post for the quadrant and drilling the hole in the cockpit floor. Remember what they say...........measure twice, cut once! I will check the measurement of the placement of the pedestal and stuffing box this weekend and let you know. Do you have a data sheet from Edson yet? Let me know if you have any question
I installed an Edson wheel system about a year ago on m '78 C-27. It wasn't very hard to do at all. It's the best thing I ever did to the boat. It seem to chang the boat completely. I love it. Just make sure you install the stuffing box for the rudder post low enough to allow clearence for the quadrant. The scarry part is drilling the hole in the rudder post for the quadrant and drilling the hole in the cockpit floor. Remember what they say...........measure twice, cut once! I will check the measurement of the placement of the pedestal and stuffing box this weekend and let you know. Do you have a data sheet from Edson yet? Let me know if you have any question
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