Tapered Shafts and Woodruff Keys

[farwesterner1]

Back in the early 1980s I had a sailboat (Cheoy Lee Offshore 41) and had to replace the steering column.



Is it possible that it had a tapered shaft and woodruff key to attach the steering wheel, or would it have been a splined, square, or other shape of axle shaft? Did tapered shafts with woodruff keys exist on boats back then?



Thank you!

[mvweebles]

Originally Posted by farwesterner1

Back in the early 1980s I had a sailboat (Cheoy Lee Offshore 41) and had to replace the steering column.



Is it possible that it had a tapered shaft and woodruff key to attach the steering wheel, or would it have been a splined, square, or other shape of axle shaft? Did tapered shafts with woodruff keys exist on boats back then?



Thank you!

3/4" tapered and 1" straight shafts are very common in this size range boat. Both with Woodruff keys and a large retaining nut. Edson even makes adapters to go from tapered to straight.

[farwesterner1]

Originally Posted by mvweebles

3/4" tapered and 1" straight shafts are very common in this size range boat. Both with Woodruff keys and a large retaining nut. Edson even makes adapters to go from tapered to straight.

Thanks! But was that also true of boats built from the late 1970s to the early 1980s? Did some have 3/4" tapered shafts?

[osprey877]

My early 80's forty foot sailboat has a straight, non-tapered threaded shaft with a woodruff key.

[CrispyCringle]

Originally Posted by farwesterner1

Back in the early 1980s I had a sailboat (Cheoy Lee Offshore 41) and had to replace the steering column.

Is it possible that it had a tapered shaft and woodruff key to attach the steering wheel, or would it have been a splined, square, or other shape of axle shaft? Did tapered shafts with woodruff keys exist on boats back then?

Thank you!

Im curious, are you just reminiscing about a repair you did 40 years ago? I dont get this question.

[mvweebles]

Originally Posted by farwesterner1

Thanks! But was that also true of boats built from the late 1970s to the early 1980s? Did some have 3/4" tapered shafts?

I have no idea but have no reason to believe tapered shafts are new.

CrispyCringle asks a good question - whats up? Odd question....nothing wrong with it, but inquiring minds want to know

[sailingunity]

Not sure about the wheel, but my 49 year old boat's prop shaft is both tapered and with a key. I presume the technique existed back then so it might have been used on the wheel.

[CrispyCringle]

Id be willing to bet since the industrial age there have been taper shafts and keyways. I had a 1923 Ford Model T for awhile. Plenty of tapered shafts and keys. Its a simple way to make a tight fit.

[DougR]

A popular steering pedestal from those days was the “Yacht Specialities “ brand, built in S. Calif. Most of them were fitted with straight, 1” diameter shafts and square keys, not woodruff.

Yacht Specialities was bought out by Edson and they still use straight shafts and square keys.

[RaymondR]

The pedestal on my last boat had a 1" tapered shaft and Woodruf key. Built 1986-87.

[HopCar]

Steering wheel with 3/4” tapered hole from my company’s 1955 catalog.

[GordMay]

Woodruff Keys were invented by William N. Woodruff, of Hartford, Connecticut, and were first manufactured in 1892.
In 1888, Woodruff was awarded the John Scott Medal, by the Franklin Institute, for his invention.

[Secondshift]

Originally Posted by DougR

A popular steering pedestal from those days was the “Yacht Specialities “ brand, built in S. Calif. Most of them were fitted with straight, 1” diameter shafts and square keys, not woodruff.

Yacht Specialities was bought out by Edson and they still use straight shafts and square keys.

Our Edson helm wheel shaft from the 80s uses a square key. Our tapered prop shaft uses a square key.

Our rudder to.radial uses a square key .

Wondered if Woodruff was a mixup.
The Woodruff is a half moon shaped insert placed in a curved slot in the shaft.

.

[RaymondR]

A Woodruf is easier and quicker to machine than a slot.