How to deal with 5 wheel turns on the R29 CB ?

B

baz

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Joined
Jun 19, 2009
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Fluid Motion Model
C-24 C
Subject: How to deal with 5 wheel turns on the R29 CB ?

During my sea trial of the model R29 CB I noted that the number of complete wheel turns (lock to lock) was about 5 revolutions. This is a full extra turn to what I've experienced in my earlier RT models. At first I thought something was wrong with the wheel, but was told by my accompanied RT person it was normal.

I don't know how others use their hands for turning a wheel in a boat or a car, but I was brought up to use two hands and to control the wheel turn by sliding the wheel one way of the other with the two hands on the wheel.

With the R29 CB requiring 5 full turns I'm now apt to consider a different approach. A few months back I was helping a fellow C28 owner with his boat and noticed he had a Steering Wheel Suicide Spinner on the helm's wheel. I thought it silly at the time, but now I'm changing my mind about it.

I'm looking at this as a solution to having to deal with 5 full turns on my R29 CB.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072KM6CSW/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_4?smid=AIXGHXADIGWI6&psc=1

Thoughts ?
 
Baz,

Good luck Hope the sea trial went well!!
Sorry I can’t help you with the wheel turn.

We are doing sea trial on 29CB tomorrow, down in Miami, any suggestions of items to pay attention to?
Can You share your engine numbers.

Thanks
Jie
 
Hi Barry (again),

At low speed the wheel is so easy to turn on our R29, that I just use a finger on one of the spokes of the steering wheel to spin it. It's pretty rare that I need to turn it that much, just turning into fairways, or the initial turn into our slip (after which I center the rudder and use the throttle/thrusters to get us up to the finger pier.

Brett
 
We were told that using 2 hands on the wheel will cause you to lose track of your rudder position as you shuffle back and forth, especially maneuvering around in tight quarters. Using the one finger in the spokes method lets you keep track of the back-and-forth shuffles, or spin the wheel while maintaining a count of turns.
Of course, if you have a rudder position indicator, you can ignore all this.
 
Hi Barry,

I'm surprised that your 27 wasn't 5 turns as the 23s are. I would love a suicide knob but have done it yet.

Make sure that the knob you get will fit on the wheel. I believe our wheels are thicker than what most knobs will accommodate.

Let me know what you end up doing.
 
I back my R25 out of a slip that requires a lock to lock turn. Easy with 1 finger. At cruise speed keep your camera running. A sudden lock to lock turn will mage a good u-tube movie.


Stuart Bell
Ranger 25: Shearwater
(561) 352-1796
 
Barry,

This only matters at slow speed, of course. So there is no trouble rotating the wheel with one hand in the spokes. And that is easier than a suicide knob that will catch in your pants pocket. I have a terrible docking challenge, often with a cross wind and up to 2.5 kt cross current. So I am constantly spinning the wheel with my left hand and aggressively using power on our hanky-sized rudder to get it into our slip. Then laying on the thrusters to reduce contact with the dock. So much fun.

And the secret is to count the rotations on the wheel so you know you are centered.

I still owe you a picture of the box I built to improve visibility. I was diverted from the boat this week.

Jeff
 
Jeff: After my factory visit it's clear to me I cannot install a step on the wall beneath the helm sliding window as there's far to many items on the wall's backside such as the NMEA backbone, AIS 800, Auto pilot compass and many wire harnesses. Attaching a flip out bar to side of the storage bin under the helm seat and aligned with the microwave behind it also isn't good as there's no backing support for the flip down step bar. Thus the 'box' solution is going to be the best solo IMO.
 
Why not have the factory install a Rudder angle indicator, or at least run the wire during construction?
Just a thought, hope you enjoy your new boat.
 
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