Transmission Linkage

[Concerto]

While motoring out to our Wednesday race when I pulled the shift control back to neutral, it moved freely and the transmission stayed in forward.

Checking the transmission, I found the linkage ball and socket disconnected and rusted. It was easy enough to reconnect, but I don't feel it is reliable.

The boat is a 2002 Catalina 310, M25XP engine with a Hurth 50 transmission and Edson controls.

Does anyone know where I can purchase a new ball and socket for the transmission end of my shift cable?

Thanks in advance,
Alan Schaub
"Concerto in Sea"
C310 #189

 

[JK_Boston_Catalina310]

That ball and socket piece is common on many sail and power boats. Your local marine engine parts supplier should have them. They are not very expensive, under $10 IIRCC.

 

[Concerto]

Thanks for the input. That's exactly what the Admiral suggested, so I went to WestMarine.com and there it was. Picking up a pair tomorrow once I get the old ones off, (checking for size).


There is nothing — absolutely nothing — half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.
"The Wind in the Willows"

 

[jrowan]

Funny, I also had a failure of my transmission shifting this last weekend.
Our Hurth Trans. also got stuck in forward gear. But our problem was corrosion at the shifter handle bearing itself. Nothing that PB Blaster couldn't fix. Good thing I always test our engine & trans. for faults BEFORE I leave the dock. Would have been ugly if I couldn't shift out of gear in a tight marina fairway. I try my best not to be a Capt. Crunch.

 

[Concerto]

Marinas can be tough with a malfunction, luckily Concerto is on a mooring and we usually hoist the main before casting off. I also warm up the "iron wind" and shift the Hurth back and forth while the crew is making her shipshape. Everything was fine until I shut the engine down and attempted to shift back to reverse for sailing. One quick look while the Admiral was at the helm and it snapped right back in, but now I don't trust it.

On an "off topic" note, how did you get the Mark Twain quote under your message?
My favorite is Ratty's line from "The Wind In the Willows" -
"There is nothing — absolutely nothing — half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats".
I would love to implant that as a signature

Thanks for the input.
Alan

Funny, I also had a failure of my transmission shifting this last weekend.
Our Hurth Trans. also got stuck in forward gear. But our problem was corrosion at the shifter handle bearing itself. Nothing that PB Blaster couldn't fix. Good thing I always test our engine & trans. for faults BEFORE I leave the dock. Would have been ugly if I couldn't shift out of gear in a tight marina fairway. I try my best not to be a Capt. Crunch.

 

[JK_Boston_Catalina310]

Marinas can be tough with a malfunction, luckily Concerto is on a mooring and we usually hoist the main before casting off. I also warm up the "iron wind" and shift the Hurth back and forth while the crew is making her shipshape. Everything was fine until I shut the engine down and attempted to shift back to reverse for sailing. One quick look while the Admiral was at the helm and it snapped right back in, but now I don't trust it.

Why are you shifting back to reverse for sailing? Studies show there is far less resistance to a prop in neutral than locked in reverse.

Is the retainer clip still on the linkage? A lot of times that is what falls off and then the linkage fails. Either way, it's a cheap maintanence item that you are better off just going new with.

On an "off topic" note, how did you get the Mark Twain quote under your message?
My favorite is Ratty's line from "The Wind In the Willows" -
"There is nothing — absolutely nothing — half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats".
I would love to implant that as a signature

Thanks for the input.
Alan

If you click on the "Your Control Panel" link then the "Edit signature" link you can put in a custom signature and that's where most of us put in quotes.

Fair winds,

Jesse

 

[Concerto]

Jesse,
Thanks for the info about locking the prop. I was under the impression that a free wheeling prop would make the transmission spin without proper lubrication like towing an automatic tranny car. Since the Hurth is an "immersion/splash lubrication" system with no pumps, that would not be a problem.
We are racing tomorrow on Long Island Sound, so I will try it and maybe gain 1/2 knot.

Thanks also for the info on the signature. They won't let me add one until I have 15 posts, but that shouldn't take long.
Fair Winds,
Alan

 

[JK_Boston_Catalina310]

Here is a study that Maine Sail did on the subject. http://www.catamaransite.com/propeller_drag_test.html

There is also a study by MIT that confirmed the same thing.

Our transmission say to have it in either reverse or neutral. There is a lot of info on this forum about this if you seach for it.

 

[Concerto]

Thanks Jesse,
Great explanation and video. I'm sold, just have to check Universal specs to see which way is recommended for my M25XP and Hurth 50.
I'll freewheel tomorrow at our race and hopefully do better.

 

[JK_Boston_Catalina310]

Thanks Jesse,
Great explanation and video. I'm sold, just have to check Universal specs to see which way is recommended for my M25XP and Hurth 50.
I'll freewheel tomorrow at our race and hopefully do better.

The Hurth says either reverse or neutral, never the direction you are sailing.

Good luck in your race.