MacGregorSailors.com

Tomfoolery wrote:It's still there, on the accessories page, for both the and the . http://bwyachts.com/web%20catalog%20312 ... eering.htm

Thanks, Specter and Tomfoolery! I'll do that!

Doug

yukonbob wrote: I just throttle down now connect the steering then power back up, takes literally two seconds to reconnect and we're off.

Thanks for your replies. Disconnecting and reconnecting--only 2 seconds? Seems like it would take longer getting down on your knees, lifting the seat, etc. I have held off on the mod because I thought it would be a pain disconnecting and reconnecting. However, this discussion has me in process of doing the mod. I just ordered 3 quick disconnect ball joints from EBay for $7.50 each incl;uding shipping:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ball-Joint-Quic ... md&vxp=mtr

They are 5/16th instead of 3/8 (6/16th).

Again, thanks for your inputs--Chuck

chuck wrote:Disconnecting and reconnecting--only 2 seconds?

I've gotten pretty good at it but that's in a calm harbour. It can be up to ten seconds bouncing in waves with that stupid seat trying to smack you in the head and trying to 'catch' the ball connector as the rudders and OB are moving with the flow as well.

Highlander,
I was thinking the same thing. Kinda like a Seward 42. I still have the original aluminum rudder brackets that I know will need to be replaced.

Wind Wager

yukonbob wrote:

chuck wrote:Disconnecting and reconnecting--only 2 seconds?

I've gotten pretty good at it but that's in a calm harbour. It can be up to ten seconds bouncing in waves with that stupid seat trying to smack you in the head and trying to 'catch' the ball connector as the rudders and OB are moving with the flow as well.

What yukonbob said. And once in a while I forget to reattach for docking, but in that case, I just work the helm like it's a keel boat with an inboard, which has the prop fixed in position of course. Won't turn on a dime like with the directed thrust of the steerable outboard, but perfectly adequate for docking as long as forward motion is there for the rudders and CB, and the CB is down a bit (which I always do anyway for docking).

yukonbob wrote:

chuck wrote:Disconnecting and reconnecting--only 2 seconds?

I've gotten pretty good at it but that's in a calm harbour. It can be up to ten seconds bouncing in waves with that stupid seat trying to smack you in the head and trying to 'catch' the ball connector as the rudders and OB are moving with the flow as well.

Well at 80+ I think it would take me longer. Just to get up off my knees takes about 5 min, ha ha. I will install one though, and with practice maybe I can get the time down, getting off my knees I mean. I have been thinking about making a tool that would let me just reach down and move the connection. we'll see.

chuck wrote:Well at 80+ I think it would take me longer. Just to get up off my knees takes about 5 min, ha ha. I will install one though, and with practice maybe I can get the time down, getting off my knees I mean. I have been thinking about making a tool that would let me just reach down and move the connection. we'll see.

I'll get down on one knee with my other foot in the transom, or you could just sit on the cockpit floor but make sure the seat is secured and won't come back down and smack you. It also makes it way easier to dis/re-connect if the wheel is centred.

yukonbob wrote:

chuck wrote:Well at 80+ I think it would take me longer. Just to get up off my knees takes about 5 min, ha ha. I will install one though, and with practice maybe I can get the time down, getting off my knees I mean. I have been thinking about making a tool that would let me just reach down and move the connection. we'll see.

I'll get down on one knee with my other foot in the transom, or you could just sit on the cockpit floor but make sure the seat is secured and won't come back down and smack you. It also makes it way easier to dis/re-connect if the wheel is centred.

Thanks for info. I just watched this video, and it helped a lot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToUB-ox3GDs

chuck wrote:

yukonbob wrote: I just throttle down now connect the steering then power back up, takes literally two seconds to reconnect and we're off.

Thanks for your replies. Disconnecting and reconnecting--only 2 seconds? Seems like it would take longer getting down on your knees, lifting the seat, etc. I have held off on the mod because I thought it would be a pain disconnecting and reconnecting. However, this discussion has me in process of doing the mod. I just ordered 3 quick disconnect ball joints from EBay for $7.50 each incl;uding shipping:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ball-Joint-Quic ... md&vxp=mtr

They are 5/16th instead of 3/8 (6/16th).

Again, thanks for your inputs--Chuck

I think 5/16 is going a bit on the light side a four stroke eng will put a lot of torq on them Just sayin that's all, wot could break them off , I have the 3/8" bwy one

J

has anyone found a rubber bellows that could be attached to the transom wall and the steering bar to seal our water? Seems their was an old post of a rubber bellows connected to the steering bar and transom wall.

1st Sail wrote:has anyone found a rubber bellows that could be attached to the transom wall and the steering bar to seal our water? Seems their was an old post of a rubber bellows connected to the steering bar and transom wall.

Well u could use one of these the bigger one
http://www.sea-dog.com/groups/2098-motor-well-boot

There was a mod where someone made up a seal kit to keep the water from running inside the aft bilge as the steering linkage runs in a downward angle so if the wind is driving the rain or a following sea driving water towards the linkage water just runs down the linkage & into the aft bilge myself I think if I done the mod I,d go with both

J

The BWY website only shows the version. Could anyone be so kind to post a picture of what it looks like on the ? From the description I can't tell if it will fit my boat. I'm not even sure if my setup is original or that it's a Dutch Mac dealer's mod.

Highlander wrote:

1st Sail wrote:has anyone found a rubber bellows that could be attached to the transom wall and the steering bar to seal our water? Seems their was an old post of a rubber bellows connected to the steering bar and transom wall.

Well u could use one of these the bigger one
http://www.sea-dog.com/groups/2098-motor-well-boot

There was a mod where someone made up a seal kit to keep the water from running inside the aft bilge as the steering linkage runs in a downward angle so if the wind is driving the rain or a following sea driving water towards the linkage water just runs down the linkage & into the aft bilge myself I think if I done the mod I,d go with both

J

I have one and I'm going to give it a try.

This mod…

http://www.macgregorsailors.com/modt/in ... ?view=1595

http://www.macgregorsailors.com/modt/in ... ?view=1596

…in addition to acting as a wiper to the steering rod (stripping off any water as it moves back and forth), also serves as a guide bushing to reduce the friction that would normally happen when the rod bears against the edges of the hole cut in the fibreglass at the factory. Killing two birds with one stone, it helps (in addition to a couple of other mods I did) to improve steering feel and precision. It was important to me that the range of travel of the steering be reduced by as little as possible, something that is a benefit to this mod over some other solutions.

Hope the new owner of my Mac appreciates these amenities.

- Brian.

Cougar wrote:The BWY website only shows the version. Could anyone be so kind to post a picture of what it looks like on the ? From the description I can't tell if it will fit my boat. I'm not even sure if my setup is original or that it's a Dutch Mac dealer's mod.

I don't have a pic, but it's just a replacement link for the rod from the engine to the U-link that connects the two rudders together. It includes a bracket that clamps onto the U-link, and the stationary ball support for when you want to disable engine steering.