[C38] The loss of Hull #280

[Tom T.]

Hello Greg and group,

I don't know what happened to Craig's steering but one of  the most 
common problems on the Catalina 38's is when the steering quadrant hits 
the wood stop below the cockpit and the wood fails from age and/or rot 
causing the quadrant to travel too far allowing the cable to come off 
the pulley groove resulting in total loss of steerage.

This happened to #95 late one night fighting rough, rainy weather with 
50 mph gusts and breaking seas in the usually calm Tampa Bay. Weather in 
Florida can go from calm to survival conditions in a matter of minutes. 
The natives are used to it but on boats it can get really exciting.

I was able to get to the quadrant via the stern compartment to free the 
loose cable so we could then steer with the  emergency steering tiller 
to get us back to our port several miles away.  Even though it was in 
protected Tampa Bay, it was still a very scary situation until we got 
things under control.  If anyone needs to use their emergency tiller, 
you may want to reef down or you will exhaust yourself trying to muscle 
that #$%^ little stick.

After this event, I replaced the wood tiller stop with one made from 
aluminum so it won't ever fail again causing steering failure. The stop 
goes abeam where the quadrant will strike it to limit the steering 
travel.  It has been many years ago that I made the modification so I 
can't remember the details other than #95 is safe from this inevitable 
event because the wood was replaced with aluminum.  I don't think the 
original wood was even pressure treated so it was a disaster waiting for 
a time to happen and on boats that usually means at the worst possible time

I'm still anxious to hear what happened to Craig's steering but I wanted 
you to know about this modification to #95. Craig is an accomplished 
sailor and he is also an airplane pilot.  I'm glad his event was in a 
boat instead of an airplane or it could have been much worse.  Losing 
steering over the Atlantic in a small plane doesn't sound like fun.

Craig has been a great contributor here for many years and we are glad 
he made it back.
.
Tom Troncalli
Recovering ex-38 owner




On 12/13/2013 7:44 AM, William Knowles wrote:
> Craig when you feel up to it, could you give some details on the 
> steering problems. Anything we should be looking at?
> Very sorry for your loose.
>
>
> On Fri, Dec 13, 2013 at 7:32 AM, Greg S. Hart 
> <ghart at follysbestrentals.com <mailto:ghart at follysbestrentals.com>> wrote:
>
>     Craig,
>
>     Sorry to hear about the loss of your boat, but glad to hear
>     everything precious made it off.
>
>     Greg Hart
>
>     Folly’s Best #95
>
>     *From:*Craig Sailor6147 [mailto:sailor6147 at hotmail.com
>     <mailto:sailor6147 at hotmail.com>]
>     *Sent:* Thursday, December 12, 2013 10:57 PM
>     *To:* Catalina 38 Listserve
>     *Subject:* [C38] The loss of Hull #280
>
>     I'm sorry to report that we lost "Wings" in weather 400 km west of
>     Bermuda on our way to the BVI's. We lost steerage and after
>     bouncing in 20-30ft seas for 3 days, the Coast Guard picked us up
>     and flew us back to Hampton Va. The boat was abandoned and if it
>     didn't sink, it will either be salvaged or destroyed by the navy.
>     It was a great boat and I'll miss her after 15 years of sailing
>     her through The Great Lakes, East Coast, The Keys and The Bahamas.
>
>     Craig Steinkraus
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     > _______________________________________________
>     > Listserve mailing list
>     > Listserve at catalina38.org <mailto:Listserve at catalina38.org>
>     > http://catalina38.org/mailman/listinfo/listserve_catalina38.org
>     >
>
>     _______________________________________________ Listserve mailing
>     list Listserve at catalina38.org <mailto:Listserve at catalina38.org>
>     http://catalina38.org/mailman/listinfo/listserve_catalina38.org
>
>
>     _______________________________________________
>     Listserve mailing list
>     Listserve at catalina38.org <mailto:Listserve at catalina38.org>
>     http://catalina38.org/mailman/listinfo/listserve_catalina38.org
>
>
>
>
> -- 
> W H Knowles
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Listserve mailing list
> Listserve at catalina38.org
> http://catalina38.org/mailman/listinfo/listserve_catalina38.org
>
>
> No virus found in this message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com <http://www.avg.com>
> Version: 2013.0.3462 / Virus Database: 3658/6914 - Release Date: 12/12/13
>

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://catalina38.org/pipermail/listserve_catalina38.org/attachments/20131213/b8ff99f6/attachment-0001.htm>