Causes for heavy steering wheel?

M

Migus

New member
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Chicago
I had a survey done today on a boat I am looking to buy (Catalina 34), and one of the findings was that the steering wheel was turning without play, all the way to the correct position both sides, but it had a lot of friction, sort of hard to turn. The surveyor couldn't tell me the root cause of this problem, and only said the aft lazarette was full of junk, he couldn't inspect it properly, but something there might be hitting the cables. 

My question to you is this - I am at the position I can renegotiate the price based on the findings. Since I don't know what this could be, how much would you assign to this problem, assuming it could be anything related to the cables, sheaves, etc? What are some common causes to this problem?

 
Parma

Parma

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Migus said:
 The surveyor couldn't tell me the root cause of this problem, and only said the aft lazarette was full of junk, he couldn't inspect it properly, but something there might be hitting the cables. 
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what?

sounds like a bad way to start a purchase

 
daan62

daan62

Super Anarchist
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naarden, the netherlands
Migus said:
I had a survey done today on a boat I am looking to buy (Catalina 34), and one of the findings was that the steering wheel was turning without play, all the way to the correct position both sides, but it had a lot of friction, sort of hard to turn. The surveyor couldn't tell me the root cause of this problem, and only said the aft lazarette was full of junk, he couldn't inspect it properly, but something there might be hitting the cables. 

My question to you is this - I am at the position I can renegotiate the price based on the findings. Since I don't know what this could be, how much would you assign to this problem, assuming it could be anything related to the cables, sheaves, etc? What are some common causes to this problem?
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how about:

without a full survey, i walk away... (or the boat is so cheap that you shouldn't care...)

 
Raz'r

Raz'r

Super Anarchist
59,419
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De Nile
don't buy unless 1) you figure it out or 2) you drop the price by the amount to buy/install a new rudder, bearings, quadrant, sheaves, cable and binacle. Cause it could be any of that.

Rudder is swollen or jammed into the hull

bearings are full of barnacles or otherwise fubar'd

the quadrant is fucked with

the cable pulleys are seized

the center hub of the binacle is seized

At least you won't have to replace the wheel

 
ryley

ryley

Super Anarchist
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Boston, MA
One year when I was sailing from the canal to boston, I heard a boat I knew radioing the coast guard that they couldn't turn their steering wheel. The CG wanted them to drop their sails and wait for a boat to come on scene, but the skipper said, "well, I'm aimed basically at plymouth, so I'm going to keep going that way. When I get closer, I'll let you know." About an hour later, he radio'd the CG again and said he'd fixed the problem, which was something in his lazarette that had gotten jammed in the quadrant.

Imagine how much easier it is to do that with the boat on land.

 
C

casc27

Super Anarchist
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Ishmael said:
And if the surveyor has the temerity to send you a bill, tell him to knock at least 50% off for incompetence.
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Aw, c'mon, the "surveyor" did turn the wheel all the way in both directions and it was hard to do, too! (Here endeth the sarcasm.)

 
L

Left Shift

Super Anarchist
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How about you tell the seller that you need the boat presented to the surveyor in a reasonable state.  If no, well that means no.

 
slug zitski

slug zitski

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Migus said:
I had a survey done today on a boat I am looking to buy (Catalina 34), and one of the findings was that the steering wheel was turning without play, all the way to the correct position both sides, but it had a lot of friction, sort of hard to turn. The surveyor couldn't tell me the root cause of this problem, and only said the aft lazarette was full of junk, he couldn't inspect it properly, but something there might be hitting the cables. 

My question to you is this - I am at the position I can renegotiate the price based on the findings. Since I don't know what this could be, how much would you assign to this problem, assuming it could be anything related to the cables, sheaves, etc? What are some common causes to this problem?
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Sounds like the rudder bearing is shot 

assume the worst 

ask the shipyard for an estimate , then use this estimate to reduce the purchase price 

when a surveyor can not inspect a system its considered  a fail

boats are full of these “ fails “ 

chainplates are typical fails on small craft 

when you sell your boat avoid this list of fails by emptying the boat of personal gear and exposing all systems for survey inspection 

 
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