[C320-list] Tightening Steering Cable

[Clay Carter]

If your 320 is not equipped with an emergency tiller kit, I suggest you invest in one.  I lost my steering in heavy weather/seas as a result of the cable being too loose and coming off the pulley on top of the rudder post.  Now I'm trying to figure out how to loosen the cable clamps and tighten the cables within this tiny, tight space.  Does anybody have experience/suggestions about how to go about this?
Thanks.
Clay CarterWe'll Sea #225Alamitos Bay, CA 

[Crosby Roper]

I think you need to go into the space aft of the aft cabin and approach it from there. Edson was very helpful when I need to adjust my steering cable tension. I'd give them a call.

Crosby Roper VMD

________________________________
From: C320-list <c320-lis...@lists.catalina320.com> on behalf of Clay Carter <fclay...@yahoo.com>
Sent: Thursday, March 4, 2021 5:36 PM
To: c320...@lists.catalina320.com <c320...@lists.catalina320.com>
Subject: [C320-list] Tightening Steering Cable

[Chris Burti]

It isn’t so tiny…I’m 6’2” 250 lbs and can get in and out pretty well at 70…but that said, the cable can also be adjusted with a couple of wrenches while in the aft berth with your arm through the aft lazarette hatch. Note… you need to adjust both sides an equal number of turns or your wheel center spoke will be off center.

Loosen the nut on the cable side of the fitting and tighten the outside nut on each side to tighten the cable. You might want to check with Edson for professional advice on tensioning.

Thanks,
Chris Burti
Commitment #867
Farmville, NC

[Jack Brennan]

While you’re down there, put on a glove and feel along the cable. If there are any broken strands, it’s time to replace it. An interesting but not particularly difficult job I did on a previous sailboat. You can buy a new chain and cable from Defender.

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

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

[Clay Carter]

Thanks Chris and those who have responded. I’m actually referring to the space above the rudder post where the cable clamps are. I cannot really easily see nor access them. What tools do you use for this?

Clay Carter

> On Mar 4, 2021, at 6:27 PM, Chris Burti <clb...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> It isn’t so tiny…I’m 6’2” 250 lbs and can get in and out pretty well at 70…but that said, the cable can also be adjusted with a couple of wrenches while in the aft berth with your arm through the aft lazarette hatch. Note… you need to adjust both sides an equal number of turns or your wheel center spoke will be off center.

[Chris Burti]

Clay,
I did my adjustment (and readjustment...hence the note about adjusting both
sides) from the aft cabin and as I recall I could see well enough to get
the job done. I used a couple of 1/2" wrenches as I recall...could be wrong
about the size. I did find that laying a boat cushion on the mattress up
against the bulkhead helped with the frame digging into my ribs...

Fair Winds,

Chris Burti
Commitment #867
Farmville, NC

[Chris Burti]

p.s. the C-320 comes stock from the factory with an emergency rudder arm...

Fair Winds,
Chris Burti
Commitment #867
Farmville, NC

[Dennis Cookson]

Clay,

I’m preparing to replace the whole steering chain and cable assembly on our boat shortly and have been looking carefully at the Edson quadrant. The cable clamps you refer to are on the take-up eyes which thread through the radial disk from above, but are adjusted and secured by two 1/2” nuts on the underside. This where you would normally adjust the wire tension by loosening the outer nut first on each side, and tightening the inner nut as required before locking them together again.

As far as I can see the cable clamps could not possibly be adjusted while in place - there is insufficient access. When they were installed, they would have been fixed to the cables just behind the ‘eye’ of each rod before they are threaded into place from the top of the radial. If you don’t have sufficient scope to tension your cables using the adjustment nuts below, you may have to remove one or both take-up eyes and reposition the clamp(s). But there is approx 3” of adjustment on each take-up eye!

This article might help: https://c320.org/article.php/20081024195231924 <https://c320.org/article.php/20081024195231924>. It’s also partly the reason I’m replacing my cables now even though they are working ok - they might be original and hence 20 years old.

Dennis Cookson
#577

[Diane Fowler]

Any suggestions for dodger canvas replacement??

Eisenglass scratched- 3 nibs in front broken .....

Canvas guys here are booked out 45 days & we're heading to Key West on the 24th

Captain Diane Fowler, CRS, GRI, e-PRO

Nautical Realty Group, Inc.
Let me help make your sale a breeze.

239-850-4935
Sent from my iPhone

> On Mar 5, 2021, at 12:35 PM, Dennis Cookson <den...@cooksons.net> wrote:
>
> Clay,