I ran into Reed Austin from Edson Marine at the New York Boat Show. Reed was carrying a bag in which was held a new product. The EDSON MARINE EC3 Elite Carbon 13inch ComfortGrip PowerWheel
Full disclosure, I own an Edson Powerknob, that I first acquired three boats ago. I’ve left tuna towers, marine electronics and other gear aboard my old boats for the new owners to use. But I’ve taken that Power Knob with me from boat to boat to boat. It still works like a charm and just may be the most reliable piece of marine equipment I have ever owned.
” They say its challenging to build curves into carbon fiber,” Austin quietly intones as he hands me the wheel. Yet, the 13-inch diameter 3-spoke wheel has a nice dish to it. It looks and feels great and is proving a popular accessory for those with big center console boats. It certainly blends into a modern boat helm, what with the proliferation of multi-function displays and an overall move towards automotive-style integration.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE USE OF CARBON FIBER IN BOATBUILDING
Case in point: After bumping into Austin in an aisle at the New York Boat Show, I headed to the Scout Boats display, where the Edson EC3 Elite was installed at the helm of the Scout 420 LXF . It fit right in.
The EC3 Elite is part of the “powerwheel,” series, pre-fitted with a Power Knob, albeit one made from carbon fiber, rather than the chromed-stainless model that graces my boat’s wheel. I have not sea trialed this new one, but when I gave it a flick of my fingers it spun seemingly forever, with that same familiar sound of ball bearings riding a precision race that mine still makes, even after years of use in saltwater.
Is it worth the $1,399 price tag? That’s like asking if the boat it would be installed upon is worth owning.
Takeaway Two of my favorite things are my steering wheel and my Remington rifle –Dale Earnhardt
