SO 36i Moving the gear lever to the wheel pedestal

[langelinie]

My wife and I are the happy owners of a Jeanneau SO 36i placed in Langelinie Harbour Copenhagen Denmark next to the Little Mermaid.

We love the boat but there is one thing that has annoyed us from the beginning. That is the placement of the gear lever next to the engine controls down at the end of the port bench. When maneuvering in harbours it is stressful and difficult to operate the gear lever down to the left while using the bow thruster controls on the right side of the instrument panel. It is a bit like having to drive a car with the pedals in the left side and the steering wheel in the right side.

Therefore we want to move the gear lever up on the right side of the wheel pedestal. I know that other SO 36i owners have done that (and placed a VHF speaker in the hole left over) but I don't their whereabouts.


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Are there anybody who have done a similar operation?
If so, I was wondering if you would post some photos of the lever in its new position.
Was it difficult to move? How does it function now? Do you have any hints/tricks that are nice to know beforehand?

Thanks in advance.
Hans

[sailbleu]

I dont own an SO36 therefor I think it's wise for me not to interfere in this discussion , but I would like to give you an alternative though .
In my view it looks like it's virtually impossible to reposition the lever , however you could consider installing electrical commands similar to a cruise control for a car using a step by step motor and strong solenoid with 3 position switch ( also neutral that is) for the gearshift.
Make sure everytime you shift gear the ' cruise control ' resets , a bit like when you push the breaks in your car .
Would also make your boat look futuristic with that gearswitch and potentiometer as speedcontrol.

Just a thought.

Regards

[MalcolmP]

I think it would be quite possible , the standard teleflex levers can have many different lengths of control cables.

The image below is a Goiot unit. Clearly you don't want to go to the expense of a totally new pedestal, but I think you could have a stainless steel box with support tubes that brace from the cockpit floor up and then across to the binnacle. I have seen similar fabrications on open workboats that want to have their teleflex levers up by their helm.  Getting it to look smart maybe another issue..

[debenboy]

Hi there Langelinie,

I had this done on my 2010 SO 36i shortly after purchase in Autumn 2010, by my local marine engineer, who told me that it was a two man job.

The standard cables are long enough to be run up the pedestal.

As with all things there are imperfections, in that the lever when in neutral (horizontal in my installation) interferes with the starboard leaf of the cockpit table, meaning the lever has to be left engaged in reverse when the table is in use.

However this is a minor inconvenience, when set against the generally improved ability to con the vessel heads up at all times when under engine.

I installed a V-tronix extension speaker for the VHF in the hole left in the side of the cockpit.
It was a very close fit to juggle the speaker to fill the whole and find material into which I could fix the mounting screws.
A teak fashion plate slightly larger than the hole, suitably pierced for the speaker, would probably make it easier.

I can't send any pictures for the moment as I am 6 hours drive from my boat, but next time I visit (perhaps in 2weeks time) I will try to take some suitable photographs, and PM you.

[ianqv]

Hi,

Crumbs.... having the controls soooooo far away must be somewhat trying!!
We have an S/O 37, this i where it is located. Let me know if you would like me to take some pics for you.

Regards

Ian

[Don Reaves]

Ian,

It looks like you took a picture of my SO35! Right down to the location of the instruments and the wear on the leather wheel cover.

I can't imagine how a boat builder could place the engine controls where you can't use them. It looks like the placement on the port side is set up for a dual wheel option. But without the dual wheel option, Jeanneau should have moved the controls to the wheel.

Don

[ianqv]

Feb 14, 2014 21:37:07 GMT Don Reaves said:

Ian,

It looks like you took a picture of my SO35! Right down to the location of the instruments and the wear on the leather wheel cover.

I can't imagine how a boat builder could place the engine controls where you can't use them. It looks like the placement on the port side is set up for a dual wheel option. But without the dual wheel option, Jeanneau should have moved the controls to the wheel.

Don

Hi Don

My pics are two seasons old... I had my wheel re-covered last year, it now looks like a thing of beauty!!
We really do love our Jeanneau.......... but some things really do leave us gobsmacked at some of the corners that have been cut!!

Ian

[langelinie]

Thanks all of you for the advice _/) _/)

I would love to install the Goiot unit you suggest Malcolm, but it is not on my budget

I wish they had just placed the lever like they used to on your SO 37 ianqv. Why did Jeanneau drop that configuration? Was it to cut costs or could it be because people back in their boats in France in which case it would not be so awkward.

So to conclude, I am aiming for a solution like yours debenboy. I would like very much to see photos of your configuration. How did you avoid getting the lever to interfere with the spikes in your steering wheel? Is reverse pointing up, neutral pointing forward and forward pointing down?

I have an appointment on monday with a boatbuilder. I got the attached pictures from Peter at East Anglian Sea School. They have SO36is with two different mountings of the lever. As you say debenboy with all things there are imperfections. The first one with the steel box probably works the best, - but it will not win a beauty contest. The second direct mounting looks nicer, but they have shortened the lever in order to avoid interference with the wheel meaning it is probably harder to push. I imagine it is in neutral pointing up.

Is your lever debenboy in neutral pointing forward, thus avoiding interference with the wheel?? Is it working well?

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[debenboy]

Good evening Langelinie,

I keep my boat on the UK East Coast (20 years on the Deben). It was commissioned by Clarke & Carter at Suffolk Yacht Harbour, Levington, and I stole the idea for relocating the gear lever from Peter Smith at East Anglian SS.

You have surmised correctly that the assembly is mounted so that the lever is horizontal when in neutral and forward is down, reverse is up.
Mine is mounted directly onto the GRP binnacle, without any additional metalwork or woodwork etc.

I hope to get to the boat in about 10 days when I will take some photographs to send you.

[langelinie]

Good evening debenboy.

Thanks a lot for your assuring information.
I had a meeting last Monday with a boat builder. He was actually an Englishman who had lived in Copenhagen for a generation. He seemed very competent and he agreed to move the lever later in the spring when the weather gets a bit warmer. I would very much like to get pictures of your relocated gear lever. Are there any facts or tricks that I need to know beforehand?? Are you pleased with the new location and the way it works?

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[oasis36i]

I suspect this post is a bit late and the job may now be done, but let me offer an alternative. I too was concerned about the gear lever location (previous boat had it on the pedestal), but very quickly have learnt to love it.

The difference is that I have the bow thruster control located on the little flat panel just next to the port side primary winch (about a foot from the gear lever). I can stand with a nice clear view forwards on the port side with wheel in right hand and gear lever and bowthruster ready for my left hand. It is easy to see forwards and not awkward to reach through or around the wheel.

Just a thought - it may be cheaper to run some wiring to move the bowthruster control than the gear lever.

Ian
SO36i