Edson Steering

[rjengelhart]

Hi,

Relatively new owner of hull 464. Still going over all the brochures and systems, and don't have a brochure for the Edson steering system.

Doing a search on Edson's home page, I found an owners' manual for an Edson CDi™ Steering System. Is this the system installed by Catalina?

Anything in particular I should check out before I climb into the locker for a visual?

Thanks.

vr
Bob Engelhart
SV Andiamo
#464

[KenKrawford]

Bob, here's a link that covers maintenance of the steering system. It's the very last page of the document.
There's not a lot to do. Over time the cables will stretch so if you've got any slack in your steering it details how to re-tension the cables. There's also mention of lubing the sheave bearings, inspecting the wire cable for wear and/or fraying, checking bolts for tightness and inspecting cotter pins.

https://edsonmarine.com/content/EB381SteeringGuide.pdf

[rjengelhart]

Thank you Ken. Will read and get to work.

[william vanwagoner]

Does anyone know which Edson chain and cable kit to purchase for the C350?

[cuthbert]

Any advice on this? I haven't noticed this before and I'm leaning towards replacement

[KenKrawford]

I'd replace that cable in a heartbeat. Looks like an accident waiting to happen.

[cuthbert]

Thanks Ken, I will follow that advice and will be getting replacement advice from Edson and Catalina Direct come Monday. I was/am changing the engine panel (a most time consuming task that I will write up if there is any interest) and was running my fingers over the chain and cable before oiling and felt an irregularity. It must have taken 20 minutes with the steering at the stop a strong light and a small phone to get that photo.

Does anyone have any advice on doing this replacement?

Can I go through the engine panel opening or does the top of the pedestal have to come off?
Looking down into the pedestal the two wires move through 100 degrees approximately before passing through the circular base piece, I was thinking this must have been some assembly error but looking at this generic picture on Catalina direct it seems to be the way its done? It seems odd.

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[cuthbert]

Here is a follow up if anyone needs to tackle this job....

Why do the cables cross? Edson explained that if the rudder is behind the wheel then the cables must cross so that turning the wheel corresponds to the correct position of the rudder. (which after the rep said it seemed with hindsight, obvious)
Can the chain and cable be removed through the engine panel opening? ......Yes, when loose the chain can be lifted off the cog, moved towards the opening and lifted straight out.
Do you need to have any steering expertise to do the job?....No

The sequence:

1) Center the wheel and rudder, mark the position, (I took photos and noted the wheel key position) it is needed to keep track of where things are (wheel mounting has the key upright, rudder radial has a marking on front and LHS). I was advised by Edson to take some time over this part as the adjustment and tensioning becomes a lot easier.
2) Remove engine panel cover and then remove the cover in the rear berth (note the small harbor freight bolt cutters I keep onboard in case of losing the mast and then need to cut the rigging away this was taught to me as essential on board kit a long time ago).

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3) Take the bolt cutters and cut the cables just in front of the rudder radial. Tape about 6ft of wire (use two different colors) to the ends of the cable and then lift the chain off the cog, and bring it out through the engine panel opening until the two taped wires ends are on the cockpit sole.
4) Take the new Edson kit purchased from Catalina Direct for almost every boat under 38ft (3/16ths wire cable ) put some oil on the chain, then remove tape from the old cable and tape the two colored wires to the ends of the new cable...note the replacement has a plastic sleeve over the area where the original cable was breaking near the chain. The kit had two 1/2 inch nuts for the eyebolts, one used to lock the other, both on the same side of the radial when installed, the original install used two nuts and also two washers, so I retained the washers on reassembly.

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5) At this point it needs a second person, as you put the center of the chain back on the cog the second person in the rear berth leads the two colored wires back through. About 1 hour elapsed to this point.
6) Now for the fiddly bit, I was unsure with the amount of room available to remove the old u clamps and eye bolts from the wheel this space here is very tight and fairly inaccessible

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especially if you are full sized 6ft tall. So I did consider as a backup plan having to remove the square cover around the emergency tiller opening.

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7) I was assisted by someone physically smaller then me who could more easily access the 3/8ths nuts on the U clamps and 1/2 inch two nuts on the eyebolts from the rear port side as shown in the photo by accessing through the port locker- this part took approx 2 hours to get everything tensioned correctly, alignment verified (nothing moved out of position).
Another piece of advice from Edson aim to get the eye bolts at about the halfway point with everything in place, make sure also that the U clamp has the open end of the cable in the bottom of the U and the main part of the cable closer to the two nuts. Finally take the small bolt cutters and cut off the excess ends beyond the U clamps (about 3ft of cable on each side).

As one part of doing this job I removed the port shelf for access and realized that it has an unusual mounting and a large part of it is unsupported. 10 mins on a table saw remedied this. I didn't need that much shelf.

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Job done in half a day, Chain and cable replacement from Catalina Direct approx $330

[KenKrawford]

Nice write up Jim. Thanks for posting.