Steering wheel how many ( turns lock to lock)

[Crow]

After much cutting ,bending and making pivot points and linkages from a steering wheel to a Enfield leg

I've been defeated ,so am going to fit a sprocket on the wheel with 1/2 pitch chain connected to 3 MM cables and pulleys, when the Enfield leg is in its central position the attached steering bar travels in a arc

5 inch either way of centre , this 5 inch travel is took up with 3/4 turn of steering wheel. 1 and 1/2 turns

Lock to lock. Is this to high a gear, should I put a smaller sprocket on the wheel/ helm ,thanks in advance ,nick

[Murflynn]

When I had wheel steering it was 3 turns lock to lock, which seemed about right,

[Bee]

I think I'd like a couple of turns more, I think I have about 5 - 6 lock to lock and it is ok for tricky manoeuvres, too few turns mean that one sneeze or a heavy fly landing on the wheel will send you off at 45 degrees under the bow of a supertanker.

[Canal321]

Yeah I'd agree with the above, 5 turns on my boat is perfect.

[Crow]

Well thanks, I'll have to gear it down more by the sound of it at least 50%.

[DHutch]

Our boat is more like 8 turns lock to lock, which on a 22ton narrowboat on conventional rudder, mated with a 2ft wheel, is about right for the force.

 

However for a smaller boat with an out drive I epect as has been suggested above, you could have far fewer turns, which is otherwise better.

 

 

Daniel

[cereal tiller]

After much cutting ,bending and making pivot points and linkages from a steering wheel to a Enfield leg

I've been defeated ,so am going to fit a sprocket on the wheel with 1/2 pitch chain connected to 3 MM cables and pulleys, when the Enfield leg is in its central position the attached steering bar travels in a arc

5 inch either way of centre , this 5 inch travel is took up with 3/4 turn of steering wheel. 1 and 1/2 turns

Lock to lock. Is this to high a gear, should I put a smaller sprocket on the wheel/ helm ,thanks in advance ,nick

Don't lose sight of the fact that you are using an outdrive and not a conventional Rudder

 

Have only to swing the Outdrive a few degrees to produce considerable turning force

 

Standard steering Push Pull cable systems usually have 2 and 3/4 turns Lock to Lock

 

That amount should suffice

 

CT

[Crow]

Thanks for that ,I've made a compound sprocket assembly now ,and have 3 turns ,