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