[Anonymous]

Anyone changed the size (smaller) of their steering wheel ? I would like to be able to squeeze past our wheel without having to climb up over the cockpit seats. Bav 30.
Cheers.

[Anonymous]

You might consider a folding wheel.

http://www.mailspeedmarine.com/controls-wheels-steering/lewmar/folding-wheels13079-1308019.bhtml

If you go smaller you might not find it as comfortable or easy to steer when sitting to the side, watching the genoa telltales etc.

Alastair

[Anonymous]

If you just want easier access why not just take the wheel off while ashore and pop it back on before going sailing. It’s not even a 30 second job but be careful you don’t lose the widget off the tapered shaft as you pull the wheel off. 😆

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your comments.
On balance, a smaller wheel doesn’t seem the way to go. I’ll look into the folding wheel and how it mates up with the auto-helm drive and in the meantime just take the wheel off.
Cheers

[Anonymous]

We’ve got a Lewmar folding wheel on our (2009) Bavaria 31 and love it. Makes for easy access to the swim grid when on the hook and the transom when docked stern to. Still doesn’t solve the hassle of needing to climb up on the seats, or do the “one leg at a time straddle technique” to get from the forward cockpit to the helm when under sail, but well worth the investment!

-Riyad

s/v Battuta
B31 Cruiser
Vancouver, Canada

[Author]

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