quote Mr. Asa:
For some reason it’s a port side steering system. Your link says that it has a min bend radius of 8 inches, that sound right?
Eight inches sounds about right. Any tighter radius and the cable becomes more difficult to move, and the plastic gear-toothed cable ends inside the remote box can start to grind up. Ideally, you don’t exceed that radius with the motor turned all the way to port and starboard.
Note that Teleflex only has the cables, but the remote control boxes come up on E-Bay and Craigslist all the time (At least Craigslist Wisconsin and Minnesota towns). Buy a set with any length cables because you will need the cable ends for the new cables, or post a free Wanted ad here – you don’t have to be a member. Any remote box up through 1977 will work (even the single lever ones made during those years), but, as you know, only the older ones will look correct.
Some early boats have port side steering, as people thought they should be like cars. Starboard steering balances the boat better when only the driver is in it because the direction of prop rotation tries to offset the horizontal balance of the boat downward to the port side, and the driver’s weight offsets this. Sitting on the port side it makes the imbalance worse. The heavier the boat, the less imbalance, so wood and fiberglass don’t tilt as much with prop rotation as aluminum.
Dave
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