[C320-list] Emergency tiller cover

[Dave Hupe]

 https://www.catalinadirect.com/shop-by-boat/catalina-270/hull-deck/cockpit/inspection-port-8-38quot-od/?SearchResults=1

    On Saturday, April 17, 2021, 02:36:30 PM EDT, Scott Thompson <surprise at thompson87.com> wrote:  
 
 Thanks for the advice everyone. BTW, I forgot to measure the plate. Does 
anyone recall the size? I see them for sale online in 6, 8, and 10 inch 
versions.


On 4/16/2021 7:10 PM, Dave Hupe wrote:
>  Like several others have relayed, I too replaced my entire cover with 4200 sealant early on in our boat ownership.  It had leaked badly and saturated the steering quadrant. It worked fine for a while but started seeping again.  The seal is not very tight .... Design not great.  A coat of teflon grease on the rubber seal seems to be enough to resolve this (at least for now).
> Dave Hupe
> 1994 C320 (#32)
>      On Friday, April 16, 2021, 03:24:18 PM EDT, Scott Thompson <surprise at thompson87.com> wrote:
>  
>  I climbed into the steering gear compartment recently to do some
> inspecting. (Not as easily as when we bought the boat almost 20 years
> ago!) I found quite a bit of water on top of the steering quadrant that
> must be leaking in through the emergency tiller cover. I replaced that
> inspection port a number of years ago but it is leaking again. When I
> replaced it earlier I only replaced the removable part because the ring
> that is attached to the deck seemed solidly attached. But the rubber
> gasket on that ring is shot and I need to replace the whole thing this
> time.
>
> I'm wondering how best to remove the old ring. It's held in with screws
> and some kind of sealant. I don't know what kind. And it isn't obvious
> how to work a blade in under the ring to break the bond. Does anyone
> know what sealant the factory used or have advice on how to remove this
> ring?
>