Wheel size

[Ed Williams]

I have a 1988 Pearson 27, with a 28" wheel. I would like to replace this with a smaller, 20" wheel. Comments?

 

[Bill O'Donovan]

Much harder to steer

Added weather helm will beat you up, I reckon. The leverage of 28 wheel is considerably larger.

 

[Skip]

$0.02

I can mainly think of negatives for that conversion, but you didn't say why you're considering it.1, aesthetically, I don't think it will look good.2, effort, you can expect to need almost 50% more force for any given condition because of the reduction in mechanical advantage.3, may be "twitchy", again because of the mechanical advantage, any given linear motion will have greater effect. With the old wheel, moving your hand 3 inches may turn the rudder 4*, while with the new one, 3 inches will turn it 6*.Possible advantages? I guess 2 and 3 above could be an advantage if the existing steering is too slow/light for you. And it will free up some cockpit area. To get the area, some sailors have made their wheels removable for when they're in port, would that work for you?

 

[Peter J. Brennan]

Not a great idea

for all the reasons cited. Our boat (O'Day 37) came with a 48" wheel that completekly blocjks the cockpit. You have to climb on the cockpit seats to get from one end to the other and thuis being a center cockpit boat it is a bit of an annoyance. Wife wanted wheel done away with and a smaller wheel installed. That is, until the first time she was steering in boisterous conditions. The mechanical advantage of the larger wheel is considerable and the steering effort much reduced. After all, you are not going to racing slaloms. So we got the Edson wheel removal and storage gadgets and just remove the wheel and hang it on a stanchion when we are moored or in the slip. Takes seconds to remove and reinstall it.

 

[Dale I]

Wheel removal vs. Wheel mtd. autopilot....?

With a wheel mounted ST-400 Plus driver mounted on the wheel... is it feasible to remove the wheel without disassembling the belt/guard/motor unit?

 

[Lee Hadjiosif]

YES!

The answer to the previous question is YES. Just unplug the cable from the back of the motor and the wheel can be removed with everything attached to it.