CAR_LIKE Steering Wheel vs. Ships Wheel

Maybe A Dancer

Maybe A Dancer

Became a Dancer 12/23/21
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Aug 20, 2021
1,314
Florida West Coast
Boat Info
Started out as MAYBE A DANCER
Became a Dancer - 12/23/21
Engines
450 DA Sundancer running CAT 3126
Guess I was spoiled by the high quality stainless ships wheel on my 10 meter.

It looked good AND felt good

It was also mission appropriate.

Different strokes fo different folks, fine, but for my own personal taste I find the wood grained, directional, car-like wheel at the helm very unappealing.

We're going to do away with the sun bleached fake wood grained dash panels as well, so this might be a good time to swap out the wheel.

I've seen a few photos on line of nice looking, non-directional wheels.

Will be at MIBS next week and was thinking this might be a great time to do a touch/feel/see/smell kind of thing.

Does anyone know the specific spline size?

Anyone replaced one for the same reason?

Anyone know how it is removed?

The sharing of knowledge is appreciated.

BEST !

RWS

P.S. By the time i'm done, I hope to have the second best 450 on the planet :)
 
I also don't like the car type wheels I see around. I do like the stainless and leather look however. I think that looks sharp. I currently haver an all SS wheel with three spokes and love it.

I have to disagree on the wood panel look of the dash, I am currently having mine re-done by tecnographics and can't wait to get it back. But if it were all damaged and faded, I certainly see your point.

What are you thinking of going with?

Typically the wheel is a 3/4" tapper no spline. Some however did have spines. If you remove the center hub and possibly the nut, you can tell which version you have. Most likely it's a 3/4 tapper.
 
I’m thinking of replacing the wheel with an all stainless unit like the center console guys only to have what I call a Brodie knob, sometimes when its windy its easier to steer/drag the boat in with the outdrives than using the shifters, my .02 on that. Here’s what I did on the dash. Jon

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The dash on my 92 is those long, is that a carbon fiber look, dash panels. I have thought about heading over to the ol shop I used to work at and lay up some carbon/aramid panels. Use the red and black so it stays with the red and maroon of the boat. Over the years, it has cracked between the gauges and the edges. and the lettering is all gone where t has sat in the sun. As for wheel, I have the old standard boat wheel, and I kind of like it.
 
guess I'll remove the center cap, aka "horn button" and see how it comes off, and take some measurements with me to MIBS.

BEST !

RWS
 
Maybe A Dancer said:
guess I'll remove the center cap, aka "horn button" and see how it comes off, and take some measurements with me to MIBS.

BEST !

RWS
Click to expand...
Your helm pump and/or tilt mechanism, unless someone has changed it, has a 3/4-inch tapered shaft with a single key. The wheel is held on with a 5/8-18 nut. The only way to tell for sure is to remove that nut.
 
ttmott said:
Your helm pump and/or tilt mechanism, unless someone has changed it, has a 3/4-inch tapered shaft with a single key. The wheel is held on with a 5/8-18 nut. The only way to tell for sure is to remove that nut.
Click to expand...
Do you have a notebook or do you store all of this in your brain?
 
jmauld said:
Do you have a notebook or do you store all of this in your brain?
Click to expand...
Pictures - I've had quite a few apart over the years and take pictures of everything I get into. Plus, I can tell you the size and thread of the lug nuts on a 1970 Plymouth but can't remember my number one's birthday... It's a curse.
Like this - I just finished rebuilding the Marquipt davit and have a complete photo journal of the process -
IMG_7426.jpg
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Maybe A Dancer said:
wish the floor in my garage looked that good.......
Click to expand...

I will go further and say, I wish my garage had a floor of anything but gravel. With mine being 2" fractured, I am always stumbling around like a drunk.

The always take photos, does help. I need to save them for the future.
 
A friend of mine replaced the helm wheel on his 48 Sundancer last year with a much more appealing style, I love it. Pardon the weird camera angle.
67407820759__F773C5CD-09BC-4F19-AD5F-5145C505FDC7.jpg
 
ttmott said:
Pictures - I've had quite a few apart over the years and take pictures of everything I get into. Plus, I can tell you the size and thread of the lug nuts on a 1970 Plymouth but can't remember my number one's birthday... It's a curse.
Like this - I just finished rebuilding the Marquipt davit and have a complete photo journal of the process -
View attachment 140001View attachment 140000 View attachment 139999
Click to expand...
Now that is smart - I try to video stuff now, when I remember.
 
JHornsby3 said:
I will go further and say, I wish my garage had a floor of anything but gravel. With mine being 2" fractured, I am always stumbling around like a drunk.

The always take photos, does help. I need to save them for the future.
Click to expand...
Mine was dirt until a few years ago. For those of you who do not know what those wood studs are, they are real 1920s 2 X 4s and 2 X 6s

;)

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mrsrobinson said:
Mire was dirt until a few years ago.
Click to expand...

We started to clean ours out and pour a slab. Then my puppy broke her right elbow and the money for the floor and work room was spent on three surgeries. A word of advise, when naming your dogs after spices, choose cheap spices. Saffron is about $26 an ounce. At $14500, my Saffron is at $27 an ounce. But she will lay in the gravel with me working on things. So, I have that going for me.
 
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