DON’T LET FATE TAKE THE WHEEL

Before heading offshore, it’s important to inspect your steering system for wear, corrosion and proper function.

Ralph Naranjo

A friend once said that the most reliable steering wheel is a tiller, but we live in an era when wheel steering prevails. Today, two rudders and two wheels have become de rigueur, with more linkage and points where corrosion and wear can become a problem. Losing steering might not be as bad as losing the rudder itself. Both result in an immediate loss of control, but the steering is usually easier to remedy. Most designers and naval architects build in an ability to insert an emergency tiller and operate the rudder even if a cable has snapped, or if the linkage fails. (A broken rudder or rudder stock is another story for a future column.) Chain-, wire-, pulley- and quadrant-type steering systems have proved reliable and relatively easy to service.…

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Cruising World (Digital) - 1 Issue, April 2025

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