[C320-list] Steering Friction

[Jack Brennan]

Hi Dennis:

My jib is a 130. I agree with Ferris and you that you need to pay more attention to the traveler. Maybe you can just run the lines under the dodger? I usually adjust the traveler to keep the king spoke on the wheel as close to center as possible.

I was experimenting when I was out sailing today when a thought occurred to me – my rudder is perfectly balanced, and I wonder how much of this discussion has to do with that.

I was manually steering while motoring out of the marina in relatively calm conditions and took my hands off the wheel for a minute or two. The boat tracked perfectly for much of that time and then started to wander off course just slightly.

Do other 320s do that? Or am I just the beneficiary of a manufacturing fluke?

My rudder just seems to want to stay centered, no matter what, under motor or sail. Even when the wind pipes up a bit, the EV 100 wheel pilot doesn’t work that hard until the gusts are in the mid 20s and the seas are bigger.

Food for thought …

Jack Brennan
Sonas, 1998 Catalina 320
Tierra Verde, Fl.



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From: Dennis Cookson via C320-list<mailto:c320-list at lists.catalina320.com>
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 1:51 PM
To: C320-List at catalina320.com<mailto:C320-List at catalina320.com>
Cc: Dennis Cookson<mailto:dennis at cooksons.net>
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Steering Friction

Thanks for all the replies. Yes, it’s very possible that weather helm has a lot to do with the resistance I’m feeling in stronger winds, and I take your suggestions on board re trimming and balancing the sails. I’ll usually be reefed anyway if the wind is above about 16 knots or gusting heavily. I’ve also overhauled the wheel pilot and replaced the belt. But I have an outstanding question about the rudder system and would like to understand it better. Is there any routine maintenance that should be carried out to ensure it operates as smoothly as possible? So far, I’ve left it alone. It doesn’t seem to have much play when checked on the hard.

Dennis Cookson
Catalina 0577
>
>> On Oct 16, 2023, at 2:41 PM, Dennis Cookson via C320-list <c320-list at lists.catalina320.com> wrote:
>>
>> I replaced the helm wheel chain and cable on our 1999 boat a year or two ago, and have tinkered with the cable tension since to optimise control and sensitivity without over-tightening as per the Edson guide, but I’m not completely satisfied with it. In light winds the helm wheel rotates fairly smoothly, though with a slight load, but in stronger winds when the boat is heeling I find that the wheel is much stiffer in one direction than the other and requires more effort than the wheel auto helm can reliably provide.  Is this normal? I guess that there is friction in the rudder post and sleeve - should it be lubricated, and if so, how?  Or could the bearings for the helm wheel shaft need replacement?
>>
>> How does your boat handle with 15 knots of wind and above?  Any comments/advice much appreciated.
>>
>> Dennis Cookson
>> Catalina 0577