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EZ Steer or other hard link

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kevinmac
Admiral

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USA
732 Posts

Initially Posted - 01/24/2006 : 09:49:04

Does anyone out there have an EZ Steer or other hard link installed between the outboard and rudder? I found pictures on the forum of one installation, but the messages were written before he actually used it. It looks like EZ Steer installs too low (at least using their bracket) to be easy to connect/disconnect.

I know about the famous soft link, but I have a tiller steered boat, and I am not sure I would like the tiller defaulting to "hard to starboard".

As you may already have read in other posts, I have a very difficult docking situation (at least for a newbie like me). I tried it during my first time out on the boat this weekend, and learned that I need to get the boat very close to the dock, and turn hard into the slip at exactly the right moment, and keep the turn going so that the 1 1/2 knot current carries the boat into contact with large fenders I mounted on the downstream dock and the boat. This is a very difficult operation for me, as I have a birth defect the gives me no depth perception at all. I have compensated for it my whole life, have my airplane and helicopter pilot licenses for example, but believe it or not, this may be the first time in 50 years that I really wish I had this depth perception thing that most people have. Anyway, it is very difficult for me to identify the proper turn point, so I need the fewest distractions possible. My first try I turned too late, and hit the upstream dock with the bow. (My new boat has a scrape now, crap!) The second try I turn too far out, and the boat drifted into the downstream finger before it was all the way in. Third time I got it right.

But all this happens at a boat speed of 2 knots just to overcome the current, which makes everything happen VERY fast (for a newbie) once you begin the turn. The speed is WAY faster than I was taught to dock in my lessons. But with less speed, I go backwards in relation to the dock.

One good thing about all this, it is very easy to get the boat stopped with a burst of reverse thrust.

Oh well, part of the fun of all this is there is so much to learn, so many new skills to pick up.

BTW, what kind of rubbing compound do you recommend for my scrape? There is no penetration of the gelcoat, but there are some black marks, like heel marks from a hard sole shoe, that will not come out with cleaner...

Anyway, so I need a link of some sort to make all this as easy as possible, just as many of you recommended. Just looking at options.

If you have a hard link, I would be very interested in hearing your experiences.

Thanks again for all the help I've recieved from this forum.

Kevin Mackenzie
Former Association Secretary and Commodore
"Dogs Allowed"
'06 C250WK #881
and
"Jasmine"
'01 Maine Cat 30 #34

Edited by - on

Capt. Kurt
Navigator

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185 Posts

Response Posted - 01/24/2006 : 13:28:38

For that mark, you could try Mcguires cleaner/wax or if that doesnt work, try some Acetone followed up with a waxing. Acetone will remove all the wax in that area.

Kurt
#818 C250WK 'Tortuga'

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frog0911
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1349 Posts

Response Posted - 01/24/2006 : 16:46:44

Get a bottle of "Black Streak Remover" at Wally Mart, it is cheaper there or you can get it a WM for a couple bucks more. Greatest invention for black marks on gelcoat I have found. Spray it on, let sit for a couple of minutes and wipe off.

P.S. If the current is from starboard and your finger dock is on the starboard side, steerage defaulting to starboard may not be all bad.

Edited by - frog0911 on 01/24/2006 16:53:28

frankr
Captain

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256 Posts

Response Posted - 01/24/2006 : 20:17:47

Check out this old thread and go about half way down. I have pictures of my E-Z Steer set up on my C250K.
http://www.catalina25-250.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10465&SearchTerms=E-Z

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.