Ericson 34 Owners: Edson helm flexing at cockpit

[ofshore74]

This question was posted in a different thread I got some great suggestions on how to fix a flexing helm on a late 80s E34, to add specificity to the question as no E34 owners chimed in, I thought I would create a new thread on the topic:

I just inspected an 89' E34 and found that the Edson helm flexes at the raised cockpit floor (raised floor/deck common on 87-89' E34s) so I crawled under and noted a small backing plate with plywood riser supporting it, and a badly through-bolted Edson helm guard. Has anyone out there with an E34 specifically 87-89' models, with the raised cockpit at the helm, ever had a flexing helm? And if so how did you rectify it?

The flexing has caused some stress cracks around the edge of the raised cockpit where water drains aft, maybe it was all caused by a bad Edson installation? Or a bear of a man slamming his weight against the helm?

Here's a video: https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0Bx6tzmnoism-OS13VVZNVVFaU0E&usp=sharing

 

[Loren Beach]

Guard base width note

I doubt that general construction technology differed too much from my '88 boat. Our cockpit sole ("floor") is flat, but when I have been under there I noticed that in the area for the wheel base it has plywood coring. Only fear is that water might get in from the pedestal base bolt holes or the fastenings for the guard. All is well so far.
As has been pointed out already, seeing sealant on the underside oozing out from around a fastener is evidence of poor practice in boat work. Never put sealant on the *inside*... if there ever is a leak, you need to see the water and not have it trapped and soaking into the coring material.

One difference that I see, compared to later boats, is that we have a YS steering system and our guard center is 12.5 inches rather that the narrow (9.5 ?) on the later Edson set up. Wider is stronger, to some extent, but exactly how much I do not know, not being an engineer.

(Sometime around '89, Edson won the "steering wheel for sailboats" war and YS (Yacht Specialties) went away.)

Worthless trivia dispensed, no charge.

Loren

 

[ofshore74]

Thanks Loren. I was reading somewhere that these Edson helms, or any helm for that matter, and the forces at play on the deck are some of the most extreme on a sailboat especially because it's such a high protrusion bolted to 1.5" of plywood and resin. Age + weather + heavy handed helming, has to take a toll. Anyway there's always a project! Funny I was thinking of another name for a sailboat "More Projects"