Steering system HT 1974

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  • 20th December 2016 at 7:28 pm #12370

      As per my previous post i am in the middle of a Rip out and rebuild of a 1974 HT and i would like to know how the helm is connected to the rear of the boat steering system.
      Any help on this would be appreaciated and and again if anyone is near the northwest i would love to come have a look at there cats rigging and steering.

      11th May 2017 at 6:35 pm #12547

        Hi Wellchewed,

        I have an old HT as well and am looking for information to update my steering system. The main reason is to get rid off the cross beam ( a 50mm x 50mm piece of timber) which is bolted to brackets of top of the rudders. On the mooring my rudders moved all night and I could’nt get to sleep with the bloody noise it made. I tried lashing the wheel to stop it moving all sorts but now just want rip it off and cast it to hell.  I think my system is hydraulic but have yet to find the pipe that links to the steering wheel.

        On further investigation of a cat called Top Cat it seems you can fit a linking crossmember under the back bunks. Anybody thats done this please reply as it would serve two puposes of one being able to create space to climb aboard at the back of the boat and if it was quiet preserve my sanity!

        Innes H (Korky)

        22nd January 2018 at 4:23 pm #12729

          Hallo,   If this is not too late and gets lost.  Just  joined up with the website  again. We have a 1978 Mark 3 and an earlier owner did an excellent job on our steering because he had a bad back vbuytr still wanted to get down and swim. He joined the two rudders in the middle with a heavy steel bar with joints on the end (I now use bottom bracket axles and cranks off MTBs since they only need to turn in one plane and they last for years) and the steering bar enters the hull through a gasket on the aft fairing that sticks out with rudders on; and then inside the steering cable is bolted to the rear hull face. The best bit is that with it all down below deck level you can make extra slatted decking between the two aft fairings to give so much extra space for dinghies outboards etc. Then from this decking a ladder that folds up (folding point is about 1 ft above water) allows easy bathing. The ladder does have to have a curve in it to get past the steering bar. I have often thought that the wooden bar and narrow deck at the back were the worst points of HT design. The two holes in top of rudder allows attachment of emerg steering.  Sorry no photos but boat is in France. Jim

          27th May 2018 at 12:09 pm #12852

            Hello Jim thanks for your reply and sorry its taken me so long to get back to the forum,- I kind off gave up on the forum as people did’nt seem to be using it, this thread was started Dec 2016!

            To get back to the steering system – anything that gets rid of the wooden strut that links the two rudders has to be a plus. Apart from being a trip hazard, I’ve noticed the steering circle of the HT(with crossmember) is limits the rudders achieving an angle of only about 60Degrees (from memory), if part of the rudder that links to the crossmember was cut off it would allow the rudders 45 degree’s allowing you a much smaller turning circle.  Why Pat designed this at the time, I can only imagine that he envisaged the boat with a prop in each hull which would allow you to turn the boat on a sixpence using engines alone.  With just an outboard in the centre well its a different story.

            Is it possible to get a detail drawing/ parts needed of the steering system on the later HT’s which had no cross members, and if any of have an HT with the later set up or modified can you please send photo’s.

            Innes (Korky)

            28th May 2018 at 9:44 am #12853

              Hallo Innes,    Glad to see somebody is reading the posts!  I am going out to our HT at the end of June and so I can get you some pictures then.  About the steering circle;  I have found that I can steer as tight as the boat will allow to get round a tight corner – which is not that tight anyway so I use a bow thruster when turning in a canal. Any more turning on the steering wheel would be oversteer I think.

              Jim

              28th May 2018 at 2:13 pm #12854

                Hi Jim photos would be much appreciated by myself and others too I’m sure. What kind of bow thruster set up do you have? I would love to take my boat to the European canals one day sounds great.

                Innes

                19th July 2019 at 9:01 pm #13120

                  I have a MKIIIA  (3 bottom , 2 top) it looks like it had the steering conversion many years ago, I am totally refitting boat but starting at the back.  I have a video having ripped out all the boxing in which was rotten as one of the rubber gaters had split and allowed water in.  If you want me to email you a we transfer of the video clip email me your email address and I will send it.  mine is pn808@outlook.com  I will be over the next year doing total renovation of the boat and will put most info out in the magazine. I think.

                  Video not great but shows enough just of how it works.

                  Deane

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