In the last few years there has been a trend on sailboats boats over
40 ft to go to dual ( smaller) steering wheels, one on each side of
the cockpit. Presumably this is to avoid the problems of getting
around the wheel and easy access to the back. Many large racing boats
of course have had dual wheels for a long time, to give the helmsman a
better view.
What are the pros and cons of two wheels instead of one wheel?

How effective is it to use smaller wheels?

What are the mechanical pitfalls of having two wheels? I realize that
Pilot house boats nearly always have two wheels and therfore I don't
expect too many mechanical problems?

Rolf

Comments below.

Doug
s/v Callista

"Rolf" wrote in message
om...
In the last few years there has been a trend on sailboats boats over
40 ft to go to dual ( smaller) steering wheels, one on each side of
the cockpit. Presumably this is to avoid the problems of getting
around the wheel and easy access to the back. Many large racing boats
of course have had dual wheels for a long time, to give the helmsman a
better view.
What are the pros and cons of two wheels instead of one wheel?

I though the purpose of two wheels is always for the helmsman
to have a better view. I doubt if easier access to the stern area
is really a motivation.

How effective is it to use smaller wheels?

No advantage to the smaller wheels themselves. Less leverage
makes steering harder.

What are the mechanical pitfalls of having two wheels? I realize that
Pilot house boats nearly always have two wheels and therfore I don't
expect too many mechanical problems?

I have a pilothouse boat with dual steering. The outside steering is
mechanical, but the inside steering is hydraulic. So 2 independent
systems make a nice combination in the case of a failure.

Rolf

On Mon, 6 Sep 2004 09:52:11 -0400, "Doug Dotson"
wrote:

I though the purpose of two wheels is always for the helmsman
to have a better view. I doubt if easier access to the stern area
is really a motivation.

=====================================

Since the helmsman should ideally be sitting on the windward rail, the
alternative to two small wheels is one really large wheel. There are
several problems with really large wheels. One is access to the back
of the cockpit, but even more important is the depth of the cockpit
well that is required for clearance. On some large beamy boats it is
physically impossible to have a well deep enough to clear the bottom
of the wheel, and even if you could, it would create structural
compromises. Deep wheel wells are also notorious for accumulating
water, debris, lines and body parts.

On 4 Sep 2004 20:41:54 -0700, (Rolf) wrote:

In the last few years there has been a trend on sailboats boats over
40 ft to go to dual ( smaller) steering wheels, one on each side of
the cockpit. Presumably this is to avoid the problems of getting
around the wheel and easy access to the back. Many large racing boats
of course have had dual wheels for a long time, to give the helmsman a
better view.
What are the pros and cons of two wheels instead of one wheel?
Rolf,
True story re two wheels. New boat (47 ft) owner and experienced
friend sailing. Came onto large buoy in river, current pushing them
onto it. Both of them took charge and each turned the wheel in
opposite directions - result ! hit the buoy and scraped the whole
starboard side. Brand new boat!
Rick Itenson
Breathless
Toronto

Sounds like one or the other didn;t understand who the
helmsman was. Hard to blame the wheels

"Rick Itenson" wrote in message
...
On 4 Sep 2004 20:41:54 -0700, (Rolf) wrote:

In the last few years there has been a trend on sailboats boats over
40 ft to go to dual ( smaller) steering wheels, one on each side of
the cockpit. Presumably this is to avoid the problems of getting
around the wheel and easy access to the back. Many large racing boats
of course have had dual wheels for a long time, to give the helmsman a
better view.
What are the pros and cons of two wheels instead of one wheel?
Rolf,
True story re two wheels. New boat (47 ft) owner and experienced
friend sailing. Came onto large buoy in river, current pushing them
onto it. Both of them took charge and each turned the wheel in
opposite directions - result ! hit the buoy and scraped the whole
starboard side. Brand new boat!
Rick Itenson
Breathless
Toronto

On 4 Sep 2004 20:41:54 -0700, (Rolf) wrote:

In the last few years there has been a trend on sailboats boats over
40 ft to go to dual ( smaller) steering wheels, one on each side of
the cockpit. Presumably this is to avoid the problems of getting
around the wheel and easy access to the back. Many large racing boats
of course have had dual wheels for a long time, to give the helmsman a
better view.
What are the pros and cons of two wheels instead of one wheel?

How effective is it to use smaller wheels?

What are the mechanical pitfalls of having two wheels? I realize that
Pilot house boats nearly always have two wheels and therfore I don't
expect too many mechanical problems?

Rolf

The extra gear means, of course, extra wear and maintainence
without any advantage. I use a single wheel and stand/sit on the
windward side. The larger single wheel gives better response with less
strength.
The only advantage I can imagine is marketing and eye-appeal to
charterers. Two wheels certainly take more space, both topsides and
below, than a single larger wheel.
The only possible real advantage would be having two totally
seperate steering systems. In the rare case of a steering failure, you
would have a back up system. Most boats carry an emergency tiller
rather than having two complete systems installed.
Our windvane steers via the wheel. But our auto-pilot drive
connects directly to the rudder stock, giving us a back up system if
the wheel system fails.