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This is a simple, stupid question for anyone who might know or builders out there:
Why are steering wheels (p.c.= helm stations) on boats sometimes on the left and other times on the right, even within a manufacturer's line?
Is there any rhyme or reason to it?
Why wouldn't a builder just design their whole line the same way?
Jason
Jason@rivertoys.com
Almost all Spectras had steering wheels on the left side because they catered to the coast guards back in the seventies. All coast guard boats have their helms on the port side [left] so they could communicate with other boats easier when they pulled up beside to check papers ,certificates etc. No other reason really. Some boats have their steering in the middle too!.
I always thought it was more for accelerator peddle placement. That way the drivers position wouldn't have to be moved too far into the centerline of the boat. But, I've been wrong before.
It would make sense to put them to the left [ie; cars have the same placements],however most boats have hand throttle and can be put anywhere, and most of us use our left hand to hang on to the steering wheel while we shift gears [manual cars] with rigth hand.Of course the english would debate this hence only a few racing cars had the shifter on the right side of the right seat! My 63 Sunbeam had provision to put the steering on either side of the firewall,because they ment to be exported also.
Now days it's mostly personal preferance. Most jets will drive on the left, I figure it is because they usually have a foot throttle which makes it feel more like driving a car. I/Os typically drive on the right, I believe this is because (like spectra said), most of us are used to using our right hand to shift and such. Some guys claim that I/Os drive on the right because of the torque of the prop which gives lift to that side first, but I believe thats mostly BS. Like I said it's mostly just personal preference, I've done every differnt type of set up you can think of jet ,I/O, outboard, left hand, right hand, foot throttle, hand throttle, you name it, none have ever made a difference in performance.
[This message has been edited by ULTRA28 (edited April 06, 2001).]
I'M WITH SLICK! IF WE'RE TALKING JETS, WHICH I THINK WE ARE. MOST OF THE BOATS OF THE EARLY YEARS WERE SO SHALLOW THAT AN ACCELERATOR PEDAL ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BOAT WOULD NOT WORK AT ALL, IT WOULD BE ON THE "V" BOTTOM OF THE BOAT. HENSE THE MOVEMENT TOWARD THE CENTER LINE. AND FOR THE I/O'S AND THE OUTBOARDS I'M ALMOST SURE IT THE RIGHT HAND ON THE THROTTLE AND LEFT ON THE WHEEL THAT WAS SUGGESTED BY THE OTHERS.
?
[This message has been edited by INFINITEJJ (edited April 06, 2001).]
Cool, I never put together that the side the wheel is on would be defferent with defferent drive and throttle types. On Ultra's website the 21xt is pictured with the wheel on different sides in the photos. But I notice NOW that the right hand drive is an i/o and the boats with left hand drive look to be jets by the wake.
thanks guys!
Jason.