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Author Topic:   Warm Your Wheel

bdb posted 08-22-2002 09:50 AM ET (US)
Those of us who are northern boaters know the delight of grabbing your stainless wheel in spring and fall. It doesn't take long to chill and stiffen your hands.
I just made a modification that already makes a difference. I laced several "Sea Dog" leather line chafe protectors onto the wheel. One each at 10:00, 2:00 and 6:00. The 3/4" size seems to work fine. These are a real soft and comfortable grip in your hand. They provide a secure grip if your hands are wet or slippery. And, to me, they have a nice nautical look.
We've already had some chilly temps and these "grips" make a real difference.
Harpoon, leather grips & Celebrex, Harry
kingfish posted 08-22-2002 12:53 PM ET (US)
Good stuff, HH-
My Outrage came to me with the destroyer wheel laced with some kind of twine so that the entire wheel is covered and looks like an object lesson in a seamanship braiding instruction video. It is braided and knotted in a complex decorative way and so is always warmer than raw steel and is easy to grip.
I've never seen anything like it and when I'm looking for something to worry about I concern myself about what I will do when it starts to deteriorate. You may have just given me the answer to that concern.
Gratefully-
kingfish
jimp posted 08-22-2002 12:58 PM ET (US)
bdb -
Great idea with the chafing gear.
Others you can try are "whipping" or "serving" (fancy work) using light line to wrap around the wheel. Light cotton line works well. And put a small turks head on your central spoke.
JimP
Whaler Proud posted 08-22-2002 01:35 PM ET (US)
This would probably work just as well for us southern Whalers during the summer. My wheel heats up and I cook on it.
JohnAz posted 08-22-2002 02:42 PM ET (US)
Here in Lake Havasu Arizona,,i just sp;alash a little water on the wheel takes the 110 deg. temp down quickly
hooter posted 08-22-2002 06:14 PM ET (US)
ya might ask yer granma ta tat a li'l bootie fer yer wheel outta some yarn, but cat gut would hold up better.
Jay A posted 08-22-2002 08:35 PM ET (US)
You guys kill me! There's nothing like having a cold steel destroyer wheel in your hands early in the morning! What happened to the days when "men were men and women were washer machines"?
kingfish posted 08-22-2002 09:17 PM ET (US)
Those days went the way of the cartilage in many of the joints in this old aching hulk - and HH, it's Viox for me - Celebrex upsets my tender tummy...
Dick posted 08-22-2002 09:55 PM ET (US)
When it gets that cold I wear a pair of water ski gloves. Keep the hands warm and have a good grip on the wheel.
hooter posted 08-23-2002 08:27 AM ET (US)
since we're in'ta our meds here in da near-geriatric ward, Ah've been eatin' (now, yer gonna have'ta bear wid me) glucosamine condroitin fer 'bout four months fer mah bad back an' finger jernts. It seems to be woikin'! Not quite loose as a goose, but Ah gots some moves from ten years ago back in'da kit again. Has made knot tyin' a pleasure again. Ah promise, it cain't hurt t'give it a try.
kingfish posted 08-23-2002 09:38 AM ET (US)
Good suggestion, Dick - I keep a pair of gloves in my leaning post seat that I bought at an outfitters store or someplace that are hunter orange and made out of rubber with a warm jersey lining for when it's really cold.
Hooter - I tried some kind of glucosamine tablets (just rummaged through the choices at a local pharmacy and picked one), and they upset my stomach...don't know if they were condroitin or not...I've heard good things about glucosamine, maybe I should get some more info and try some other types.
bdb posted 08-23-2002 09:53 AM ET (US)
Well, those who know me know my tolerance level for cold. Anything below 80 and I start thinkin' goose down.
Mr. Fish: I had thought about an approach similar to your wheel cover. In fact Outrageman had started to experiment with some pretty fancy stuff on my wheel. But I think we both felt it was probably going to become a 2 year project. I also thought about Edson's complete leather wrap, but those cost 100 bucks. This method costs a 7. And sir, you are absolutely right about the celebrex/stomach thing. Definitely "with food" stuff. In fact my son found perverted humor in my taking a celebrex immediately after his family had treated me to lunch on my last birthday.
Harpoon Harry, hidin' nuts for winter
P. S. Who the heck settled this part of the country anyway?
bdb posted 08-23-2002 09:56 AM ET (US)
By the way Hoots...my wife takes the same, or similar supplement to avoid ending up like Quasimodo.
DaveW posted 08-24-2002 08:46 PM ET (US)
This is a little archane but I visited the Texas Maritime museum a few years back and all of the hand rails were outfited with different examples of ropework. One in particular caught my eye and I asked one of the former Navy volonteers running the place about it if anyone knew how it was done. The three of them looked at me with the "Doesn't everyone know how to do that, you idiot" look and then grumpily showed me how. 20 minutes later I had it down. With lots of cotton 1/4 or 1/8 line in hand I went after my destroyer. The techniqe is simple on each wrap you insert a half-hitch and make it so tha the half hitch pattern (which appears as a spiralling ridge in the final pattern) butts up against the preceeding knot and forms a spiral around the wheel. It takes about two evenings to do and you will trash your hands but you will have the baddest whaler wheel in town. I put it on my montauk because I was living in Oregon and the wheel was constantly wet. You gain grip, temp control and a lot of comments and it is the easiest thing you have ever done. Use thread to sew the end. When I sold that boat and bought my 23 Walk Around, that was the number one comment about my Montauk.
kingfish posted 08-24-2002 10:27 PM ET (US)
DaveW-
That sounds like what I have on my wheel, with the exception that at each intersection of a spoke on the wheel, there's a thicker, sort of criss-cross wrap. I'd like to take a photo of my wheel tomorrow and e-mail it to you with your permission, to see if we're talking about the same thing.
And Harpoon H. - *Mr.* Fish? By golly, I like the ring that has - thing is, I can't let my wife see it or she'll laugh me out of the house...
king MR. fish
triblet posted 08-24-2002 11:20 PM ET (US)
Neoprene dive gloves work pretty well.
Chuck
Drisney posted 08-27-2002 10:28 PM ET (US)
If you want to learn to tie all yhe knots and the lore behind many of them "Ashley's Book of Knots" is a large hardcover book that is pretty much the Bible of knots. Very interesting reading...Dave
Jay A posted 08-27-2002 11:29 PM ET (US)
Drisny: Your into "knotty" books? You had me worried there,I thought your name was Disney!

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Author	Topic: Warm Your Wheel
bdb	posted 08-22-2002 09:50 AM ET (US) Those of us who are northern boaters know the delight of grabbing your stainless wheel in spring and fall. It doesn't take long to chill and stiffen your hands. I just made a modification that already makes a difference. I laced several "Sea Dog" leather line chafe protectors onto the wheel. One each at 10:00, 2:00 and 6:00. The 3/4" size seems to work fine. These are a real soft and comfortable grip in your hand. They provide a secure grip if your hands are wet or slippery. And, to me, they have a nice nautical look. We've already had some chilly temps and these "grips" make a real difference. Harpoon, leather grips & Celebrex, Harry
kingfish	posted 08-22-2002 12:53 PM ET (US) Good stuff, HH- My Outrage came to me with the destroyer wheel laced with some kind of twine so that the entire wheel is covered and looks like an object lesson in a seamanship braiding instruction video. It is braided and knotted in a complex decorative way and so is always warmer than raw steel and is easy to grip. I've never seen anything like it and when I'm looking for something to worry about I concern myself about what I will do when it starts to deteriorate. You may have just given me the answer to that concern. Gratefully- kingfish
jimp	posted 08-22-2002 12:58 PM ET (US) bdb - Great idea with the chafing gear. Others you can try are "whipping" or "serving" (fancy work) using light line to wrap around the wheel. Light cotton line works well. And put a small turks head on your central spoke. JimP
Whaler Proud	posted 08-22-2002 01:35 PM ET (US) This would probably work just as well for us southern Whalers during the summer. My wheel heats up and I cook on it.
JohnAz	posted 08-22-2002 02:42 PM ET (US) Here in Lake Havasu Arizona,,i just sp;alash a little water on the wheel takes the 110 deg. temp down quickly
hooter	posted 08-22-2002 06:14 PM ET (US) ya might ask yer granma ta tat a li'l bootie fer yer wheel outta some yarn, but cat gut would hold up better.
Jay A	posted 08-22-2002 08:35 PM ET (US) You guys kill me! There's nothing like having a cold steel destroyer wheel in your hands early in the morning! What happened to the days when "men were men and women were washer machines"?
kingfish	posted 08-22-2002 09:17 PM ET (US) Those days went the way of the cartilage in many of the joints in this old aching hulk - and HH, it's Viox for me - Celebrex upsets my tender tummy...
Dick	posted 08-22-2002 09:55 PM ET (US) When it gets that cold I wear a pair of water ski gloves. Keep the hands warm and have a good grip on the wheel.
hooter	posted 08-23-2002 08:27 AM ET (US) since we're in'ta our meds here in da near-geriatric ward, Ah've been eatin' (now, yer gonna have'ta bear wid me) glucosamine condroitin fer 'bout four months fer mah bad back an' finger jernts. It seems to be woikin'! Not quite loose as a goose, but Ah gots some moves from ten years ago back in'da kit again. Has made knot tyin' a pleasure again. Ah promise, it cain't hurt t'give it a try.
kingfish	posted 08-23-2002 09:38 AM ET (US) Good suggestion, Dick - I keep a pair of gloves in my leaning post seat that I bought at an outfitters store or someplace that are hunter orange and made out of rubber with a warm jersey lining for when it's really cold. Hooter - I tried some kind of glucosamine tablets (just rummaged through the choices at a local pharmacy and picked one), and they upset my stomach...don't know if they were condroitin or not...I've heard good things about glucosamine, maybe I should get some more info and try some other types.
bdb	posted 08-23-2002 09:53 AM ET (US) Well, those who know me know my tolerance level for cold. Anything below 80 and I start thinkin' goose down. Mr. Fish: I had thought about an approach similar to your wheel cover. In fact Outrageman had started to experiment with some pretty fancy stuff on my wheel. But I think we both felt it was probably going to become a 2 year project. I also thought about Edson's complete leather wrap, but those cost 100 bucks. This method costs a 7. And sir, you are absolutely right about the celebrex/stomach thing. Definitely "with food" stuff. In fact my son found perverted humor in my taking a celebrex immediately after his family had treated me to lunch on my last birthday. Harpoon Harry, hidin' nuts for winter P. S. Who the heck settled this part of the country anyway?
bdb	posted 08-23-2002 09:56 AM ET (US) By the way Hoots...my wife takes the same, or similar supplement to avoid ending up like Quasimodo.
DaveW	posted 08-24-2002 08:46 PM ET (US) This is a little archane but I visited the Texas Maritime museum a few years back and all of the hand rails were outfited with different examples of ropework. One in particular caught my eye and I asked one of the former Navy volonteers running the place about it if anyone knew how it was done. The three of them looked at me with the "Doesn't everyone know how to do that, you idiot" look and then grumpily showed me how. 20 minutes later I had it down. With lots of cotton 1/4 or 1/8 line in hand I went after my destroyer. The techniqe is simple on each wrap you insert a half-hitch and make it so tha the half hitch pattern (which appears as a spiralling ridge in the final pattern) butts up against the preceeding knot and forms a spiral around the wheel. It takes about two evenings to do and you will trash your hands but you will have the baddest whaler wheel in town. I put it on my montauk because I was living in Oregon and the wheel was constantly wet. You gain grip, temp control and a lot of comments and it is the easiest thing you have ever done. Use thread to sew the end. When I sold that boat and bought my 23 Walk Around, that was the number one comment about my Montauk.
kingfish	posted 08-24-2002 10:27 PM ET (US) DaveW- That sounds like what I have on my wheel, with the exception that at each intersection of a spoke on the wheel, there's a thicker, sort of criss-cross wrap. I'd like to take a photo of my wheel tomorrow and e-mail it to you with your permission, to see if we're talking about the same thing. And Harpoon H. - Mr. Fish? By golly, I like the ring that has - thing is, I can't let my wife see it or she'll laugh me out of the house... king MR. fish
triblet	posted 08-24-2002 11:20 PM ET (US) Neoprene dive gloves work pretty well. Chuck
Drisney	posted 08-27-2002 10:28 PM ET (US) If you want to learn to tie all yhe knots and the lore behind many of them "Ashley's Book of Knots" is a large hardcover book that is pretty much the Bible of knots. Very interesting reading...Dave
Jay A	posted 08-27-2002 11:29 PM ET (US) Drisny: Your into "knotty" books? You had me worried there,I thought your name was Disney!