GrandpaSteve
Sustaining Member
Are there any examples of our boats with this Edson pedestal? It would be a big job but a nice upgrade I think. Pricy though. https://edsonmarine.com/vision-ii-series-11-tooth-sprocket-straight-shaft/
For comparison sake, remember that the cockpits are different for the 32-2 model and the later 32-3 model.I wonder if you are thinking of mounting the pedistal ahead of the rudder post. I mention this because on our boat all of the moving parts are aft and are reachable from the aft locker. Literally below the bridge deck.
Right. What I have now in the pedestal guard tubes is crowded. The old Data Marine depth sounder power and transducer wire, that still works, the AP motor wire, the AP control head wire (NEMA 2000, which is cool because I can connect the chart plotter and AP together at the pedestal with a short NEMA 2000 cable), the chart plotter power wire. and something else. What I have no room to add in the tubes is the new transducer wire. I ran it through the cockpit last season, and I sailed alone most of the season so I didn't have to tell many people to watch out for it. I could loose the old Data Marine unit, but it still works.Regarding cable routing- The only cable inside the original column was the twisted wires for the compass light. While other cabling could theoretically be added, like the AP power, or the instruments and then plotter and radar feeds, these usually end up in one or both sides of the SS guard tubing. Anything in that central column has a risk of chafing on the steering apparatus.
A friend of mine with an E-38 changed out the guard for a new 1 1/4" version, and this made the cable runes a LOT easier.
I have the AP cable on one leg and -with some difficulty - the plotter/radar 3 cables in the other leg. This is in the original 1" tubing. If starting over, I would also change to the larger tube sizing. Note that such a change does require a new plate under the compass housing with larger passage holes for the tubing. Anodysed aluminum is good for this or G10. The 'feet' of the tubing will then be welded on.
Note B: if/when you ever remove the steering column for re-bedding, check the inside of the base casting carefully for corrosion.
We had this all repainted last year when the boat was apart, and it was in perfect shape. Not everyone is so lucky.