[C320-list] Lewmar Wheel - was Pedestal ICOM command mike

[Allan S. Field]

Bruce - I tried 2 different Lewmar wheels.  The first one broke at the spoke
welds at the hub.  Lewmar recognized a production problem, reengineered the
thing, and sent me a new one.  That one was too flimsy at the joints.  When
I pulled on the wheel to stand up, I always felt like the thing was going to
break; there was just way too much wiggle at the joints.  Plus it was very
hard to install.  In fact, I needed a prop puller to get it off.  At that
point, it was 2 strikes and you are out.  However...I sailed with Orlando on
Sunday, he has the Lewmar wheel on Cuba Libre 3, and it felt very solid and
secure.  Had either one of mine felt like his, I would still have one.  As
it is, I went back to the original wheel. 

I think the main reason I didn't let Lewmar ship a 3rd wheel is that they
tried very hard to get out of standing behind the 2nd wheel.  It was quite
an effort to get them to take it back then I waited months for the return
check and only got that after several phone calls.  All in all, a bad
experience.  The concept is sound but at the time I bought, I just don't
think the kinks were worked out; I say that based on my experience with
Orlando on Sunday.

Allan S. Field
Sea Shadow - #808
Columbia, MD

-----Original Message-----
From: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com
[mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Bruce Stumpp
Sent: Thursday, March 06, 2008 7:46 PM
To: c320-list at lists.catalina320.com
Subject: [C320-list] Pedestal ICOM command mike

Allan, 

What happened to the Lewmar wheel?

Bruce Stumpp
Adventure, #647
Frog Mortar Creek, MD




Message: 15
Date: Thu, 6 Mar 2008 06:37:49 -0500
From: "Allan S. Field" <allan.field at comcast.net>
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Pedestal ICOM command mike
To: <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
Message-ID: <005601c87f7e$8264a560$872df020$@field at comcast.net>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="US-ASCII"

And here is a pix of Sea Shadow's RAM mic - very clean install.  Note that
the Lewmar folding wheel no longer is on the boat.
http://www.catalina320.com/gallery/album55/Picture_180


Allan S. Field
Sea Shadow - #808
Columbia, MD