Teleflex NFB Rotary steering install report

[Tailgunner]

Replaced my snapped cable with the new one. Nothing new.

Saturday I replaced the QC-II helm with the new NFB helm. Pretty straight forward. Of course bolt holes didn't match up.   Took about an hour to redrill and mount the helm with cable.

Called the draw bridge to get out of the harbor. I was 50 yards from the bridge. As headed out I realised that I put the cable in the helm wrong and my steering was backwards. This caused the bridge tender to have a hissy fit as I got spun around at the  entrance to the bridge. She is cranky anyways so I wasn't concerned.

Yesterday I went out to ther mooring and fixed the casble. 10 minutes to pull the cable out and spin back in the right hole. Lesson? RTFM.

As I went out this morning to  check lobster pots (I got 10 keepers from 3 pots) I noticed that the steering is much firmer. It takes less wheel spin from side to side and the boat doesn't seem to pull to one side, which is good. The only down side is that it seems less reponsive at slower speeds.

All in all I'm happy with the $160 spent.

[John Jones]

I liked the NFB on my last boat.  Any drawbacks beat the heck out of fighting the torque on the wheel.  Get one of the SS knobs for the steering wheel.  To me it helps when docking, etc.  I bought one of the $20 ones back in May.  Seems to be holding up fine.

[Tailgunner]

Don't get me wrong. I like the new NFB. It'll just take a little getting used to.

I've been looking at those wheel knobs for sometime. When I see one for less than $40, I might get one. Where'd you get one for $20?

[Shadow]

Tailgunner,

This is my first posting on this excellent forum.   I bought a nice wheel knob on ebay from a seller named Outlaw$0.   The knob is well-made in stainless with a solid stainless clamp.   The action is good and it's comfortable.   I think they're listed for $29 + $5 freight.    If the link below doesn't work, go onto ebay, enter the seller (outlaw$0) and click on "items for sale."    Hope this helps.       -Shadow

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/L-K-S-S-STEERING-KNOB-L-K-N-R-N-R-N-R_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ31283QQitemZ4569910067QQrdZ1

[Tailgunner]

Thanks. That link worked fine. I found that he had one for $14.95.

[John Jones]

I got mine at Marine Surplus in Bradenton, FL.