Steering Wheel Cover Ideas

Anyone here ever had this vinyl coating applied to their wheel?
http://www.colorwheelz.com/

Fourteen colors!

I saw their display at a boat show a few years ago, and then today a friend asked me if had heard any feedback about them. Not knowing anyone that's tried this, perhaps a Viking or friend has some first hand experience.

Our boat has it's original '88 elk hide wheel rim cover and it looks like it's nearing its last season. I note that they are offering a discount this month, and perhaps this is normal for the winter season (?).

Thanks,
Loren

Loren,

My Baltic wheel had the Sand color from Color Wheelz when I bought her. Two things I loved about their product over the traditional raw hide was that the vinyl doesn't absorb moisture which on raw hide typically finds it way onto gloves and on a colder day becomes miserable, the other is that the vinyl isn't rough on the skin like leather sometimes tends to be. Classy looks, long lasting, good gripping and easy on the hands.

If my E34T purchase goes through, sending the wheel to Color Wheelz will be on the list.

Recommend this product for sure....

Hope this helps,

--Ron

FWIW -- The P.O. of our E-33RH wrapped the wheel with fabric strapping material, probably dacron, about 1 inch width. The strapping is wrapped in a spiral around the rim. It provides a very good grip and doesn't seem to have any disadvantages. My guess is that the P.O did the wrapping when the boat was near new (early 80's vintage) and even today, shows no signs of deterioration! I have been on boats with elk shin wrapped wheels, and personally, I prefer this fabric solution. (Although I haven't checked, I suspect that the dacron strapping material comes in various colors.)

Mike Oxborrow
E-33 JP Foolish, hull #25

Update: a friend just did a new leather wrap on our wheel, as a gift. Pretty Gosh Darned Nice.
As for the vinyl dip, I have re-contacted the company several months ago, and they are iffy about whether they can do this, this year. It sounded like the guy that had been doing the work might be unavailable, or something. Response was polite, but vague.
This is the source for our leather kit: https://boatleather.com/product/boatleather-wheel-covers/

Pulling more info into one thread:
Prior thread: https://ericsonyachts.org/ie/threads/wrapping-the-wheel.11096/

Nothing compares to leather for a wheel wrap....on an older boat I had....leather wrapped the wheel then sprayed Scotchguard letting it soak in. The leather never absorbed moisture for years afterwards. Just an option. I do the same on saloon fabric seats.

Never heard of ColorWheelz but that looks wild. What a world. I have the good old faded mint-green leather wheel cover which is nice in the summer but holds moisture during our rainy PNW winters, guaranteeing cold clammy interactions with the wheel.

My son is very handy with needle & thread and has a heavy duty sewing machine.

To protect our leather wrapped wheel, he made a nifty cover for it to keep the sun and rain from shortening its lifespan.

He also made a cover for the compass and then a piece down low on the pedestal guard to keep the traveler blocks from chipping the pedestal paint. ...Photo attached. (The Viking helmet is not left out there all the time.)

I agree that a cover is essential. Also, that my "elk" cover, which is great most of the time, is a soggy, stretchy thing when it gets soaked.