Weekender Plans Handy?

[Arnie Eaton]

I'm not really sure, been almost 2 years since I installed them. Wait a minute and i'll run upstairs and see. Well nuts, can't see much. I have the invoice somewhere and I know who I got them from (Farmtec) so will research later. I do know they are self centering. In other words they do not have to be parallel as the part the shaft fits into can move within the mount so they line up. I think these have ball bearings, they are very nice and smooth. I highly recommend bearings of this type, strong, easy to use, and makes steering effortless. The inter race has set screws to tighen down onto the shaft to keep it in place.

[Jan Williamson]

Thanks Arnie, I'll see what I can find in the 1 1/2" size. So they attach to the lazzerette and transom? Did you get the glassing done yet?

[Dave R1]

Jan, are you planning to install bearings for the shaft for the steering wheel? If so, one option would be to use a flanged bearing at each end. On inside the lazarette and one on the inside of the transom. The bearings I'm thinking of would be like the one just behind the green box in this picture. I was trying to find a better photo but haven't yet.

You should be able to get them at a farm supply store and they aren't very expensive. Actually, if you could find bronze bushing in the same mounting arrangement, they'd work fine, too.

Dave

Edited to add this picture.

The beauty of a bearing or bushing like this is that if the mounting surfaces aren't parallel the bearings can be angled in their housings a little to compensate.

[Dave R1]

Here's another picture. Notice how the outside of the bearing itself is radiused. This allows the bearing to pivot in the housing a bit.

[Arnie Eaton]

Dave, your "edited pic" of the bearing above is like the two that I used.

[Dave R1]

That one has a plastic housing. I'd never seen those before. How is it? Any recollection of price?

[Arnie Eaton]

While mine are made of steel, I paid about $17 each, plus shipping. Got them from Farmtek. Yes, a lot of bucks but wanted to do the job right. They work great on dry land. Hope they do as well in the water.

[Dave R1]

Arnie, they ought to work fine. I considered using bearing like that until I found that buffing mandrel. Although it uses bronze bushing rather than bearings, it was intended to be driven by a motor at 1700 or so RPMs I figure it won't get 1700 revolutions per year in this application. Just keep the bearings lubed and you'll be fine.

[Jan Williamson]

Thanks guys. We actually have several farm supplies around here. Since I have my steering system taken apart, and beefing it up, now might be the time to consider bearings. Doesn't this eliminate the screw throught the transom? If so, I am even considering making a boot to close up the hole in the transom. It would probably look better since I will have a pipe replacing some of the tiller stub.

I am also going to switch to cable instead of rope.

[Jan Williamson]

One quick question. I rope system I have right now runs through a hole in the galv.steering wheel column. If I switch to cable, do you run the cable through the hole the same way?

[Barry Pyeatt]

Jan,

Yes, when there is good wood available, I'm like Oyster, I go get it. Especially when it is old growth material. Picked up an entire trailer load one time of prime cherry wood. While it was intransit from Canada to the dealer in the US, the dealer went out of business and couldn't take delivery. Middle of January and snow, ice, etc. all over and the driver was in no mood to wait while finding a new location to deliver it to. Made an offer that I considered ""off the wall low" and they took it. Delivered it and unloaded it into my warehouse at the time. About 5 cents on the dollar. Lasted me for about 10 years of furniture, cabinetry and sold about half of it for nearly 10 times what I paid for the enitre load. But I don't hoard it. :wink:

Regarding your "new" steering system. Check the cable carefully. Most cables are not designed to move in short distances and be repeatedly flexed as at the blocks in this system. There have been a lot of failures in the cables themselves in systems because the cable wasn't designed to flex under tension like this. It would probably be worth the investment to get good aircraft grade cable for this if you are going to "do it right".

I don't think that you really need to go that far however. Once a good rope line has stretched, it will last for years and years with no problems.

I agree that a section of galvanized pipe installed as Dave has drawn it would be quite a bit better than the "misc. wood" that generally gets used for the tiller stub. I too would replace the thru hull bolt as designed for a bearing/bracket that mounts from the inside.

Going the distance as designed by Dave would result in a superb system provided that good components were used. Considering that "we", (on the coast), will have exposure to salt air. I believe it is a bit of overkill, but a sound system. The Weekender is a light boat; even when compared to the Vacationer which is still a light boat.

[Phil Gowans]

WARNING: I used cable on my steering setup and it lasted only 1 season before it broke. It was my reasnoning that cable will last a lot longer and not stretch like rope. I bought some boat rigging cable that was intended to be used in blocks and harken mini blocks that were for use with cable. I don't know what happened but as you can see in the inset the cable wore completely throught the sheathing and the cable broke. This happened at the block. There was no binding or anyother problem that I could see. I replaced this with no stretch line and haven't had any problems with it since.

Also as you can see I used oak for the spindel and tiller. There has been no problem with their strength. That's a piece of UHMW at the base of the spindle. I also put 3 pieces of UHMW in the spindle hub to reduce friction.

[Jan Williamson]

Good info. Thanks guys. Phil, nice pic

Barry, you got lucky

[Dave R1]

Jan, I think instead of running the cable through the hole in the steering shaft you should just wrap it around the shaft and clamp it like Phil has done on his steering rope. The sharp bend required to get through the hole after a couple of turns around the shaft will set up stress [points that could lead to failure.

As to using cable or rope, I haven't had any problem with my cables in two seasons. This fall before putting the boat away I looked and they're fine. I don't have my cables stretched that tight, though, and maybe that helps. There's a tiny bit of slack but it doesn't really seem to have any impact on the way the boat steers. It's not as loose as the old Buick but it's not tight like the Porsche either.

[Jan Williamson]

Phil, do you have the rope configured according to plan? Or T. Nelson? I opted for the T. Nelson set up with two eyebolts for the blocks through the tiller, and I really think that the problem with mine was the coupler that connected the two eye boats required too big of hole, and left the wood thin and weak. You have two eye straps that hold the rope , and I'll bet the twisting and wrenching are not there. I do like the ease of the steering with the 4 pulley medthod, so I will probably stick with that. Only I'll attach them to the "horn" on the pipe tiller repair. Should be done this weekend.

[Phil Gowans]

Jan, sorry I'm so slow responding. I don't look at any forums on the weekend. (That's when I sail).

The system I used for my steering is a slight modification of the Stevenson design. I basically added an internal turnbuckle and allowed the cable (rope now) to slide under a clamp when adjusting the center of steering. I never could understand the T Nelson system. There are so many blocks, special reinforcement required and the line seems to go all over the place, even down to the floor. Lots of people use it, but really I'm no genius and it just doesn't make any sense to me.

This is a drawing of what I did.

You are right, the way I attached my ropes to the tiller was to put 2 eye straps I through bolted them so there are only 2 small (less than 1/8") holes in the tiller. They also reduce any twisting motion when steering. I used some rope clamps (not shown in the picture). They are great items to attach rope back to itself.

[Jan Williamson]

Phil, that's why it is called a weekender I am going to leave my pulley's in place (HOPEFULLY they are not the problem), but I am still working out where to put the two turnbuckles. Here is a drawing of my old set-up.

[attachment over 4 years old deleted by admin]

[Dave R1]

Jan, you're probably getting tired of seeing my drawings but you might consider doing what I did for the turnbuckles. One on each side of the tiller.

[Jan Williamson]

Dave, I will never get tired of your drawings. My old system had pulleys attached to eyebolt on the stub. So are you saying attach turnbuckles to the horn, with the pulleys on the other ends, or eliminate the two stub pulleys?

It would be interesting to compare two verses four pulleys. Four made nest to no pressure on the steering wheel.

[Dave R1]

Jan, I have only two blocks. One can be seen in the background of the drawing, above. There's little force on the wheel. Just enough to feel and keep from oversteering. I would get rid of the blocks on the stub tiller and then just attach the turnbuckles to the horn.

The two turnbuckles on the horn allow the rudder to be centered without changing where the kinf spoke on the wheel is oriented. Of course this adjustment is only a short one due to the short turnbuckles.

Dave