Working on the boat

When you can’t steer the boat

By June 2, 2015 No Comments
Master link for the chain

I have a helpful hint for you. You see on the last day of a recent charter I lost total steerage on my boat, because the chain that goes around sprockets on the wheel and connects to the cables that turn the rudder broke.

These things happen on boats, but we still had to clear customs and get the guest to the dock so they could catch a flight. I ended up steer three miles to the Red Hook fuel dock with the autopilot, which attaches directly to the rudder. Once I got close I used the throttles to guide the boat to the dock. Of course I still need to move the boat four docks down to get into my slip, so I used the throttles and nursed it down the channel.

Steering chain

 

Now the advice I have for you boat owners is to have several master links aboard (see below). If I did then I could have replaced the broken link with one and had it fixed rather quickly. These are the same parts that attach the end of the chain to the cables.

As of now I have a spare chain and three extra master links in case I need them.

Master link for the chain

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