185 New Steering Wheel

[RobMick]

I am looking to replace the OEM steering wheel on my 2012 185. Probably will do my "hunt" over winter layup. I want something with more "pizzazz" maybe in red and black with chrome spokes. Anyway, is there any "trick" to buying a special one, does it have to be a "marine" steering wheel. How do I find what size I need? I will probably remove the current steering wheel prior to winter storage. I assume it is pretty straight forward....remove the center cap, probably a nut there that needs to be removed and slide the wheel off...

As always, I welcome your comments, suggestions and any pics of wheels that others have swapped out,

[Waterdowg]

I have been looking at steering wheels for an old boat that my son and I are going to restore From what I see there is only one size for boats. But there are different diameters and different offsets. Not sure how this effects shopping for an automotive steering wheel.

[RobMick]

So my hunt continues for a new steering wheel. I think I have ruled out the black, red is still in the mix, but I think white is leading the pack right now...

[RobMick]

Thoughts...

[jwilliams71]

The RED one! That would look slick with the red on white you've got going in your boat. Assuming the shades aren't too far off.

The white one looks good by itself but I personally wouldn't go for it because 1) I think it would look too plain and 2) on something you handle as much as the wheel it's bound to look grimy fast. Or maybe I just don't wash my hands often enough?

[RobMick]

That's my concern.....thatbthe red doesn't match....it would either look awesome or like sh_t..., sake goes for the white too I suppose as far as matching...not too worried about it getting dirty, got stuff for that...

[jwilliams71]

What about getting the wheel wrapped in matching red leather/vinyl/etc? Start with a wheel with the spokes you want in black or white and then have an option to change it. Seen places that do that for car wheels, would imagine it would work here too.

[RobMick]

Funny how as another season passes, you revert back to the same winter layup projects...I think I have narrowed my search for a new steering wheel down to a nice black and polished stainless steel spoked wheel rather than taking a chance on the red not matching the boat and the white being too white and prone to getting dirty. Can anyone with access to their 175/185/195 or similar size, please measure the diameter of your steering wheel? Possibly also the offset if that is even possible to do? My 185 is already in the barn for the winter and I do t have access to her. As always thanks for the reply

[Natedogg]

I think white is the usual go to, because of black absorbing so much more heat and becoming uncomfortably hot to handle!

[Waterdowg]

My Bayliner came stock with a Black Steering wheeling and surprisingly it does not get hot. Being black it always looks clean,

[RobMick]

Update....I made a corporate decision and went with a darker gray abs polished stainless steel wheel by Uflexx.....got 25% off at Great Lakes Skipper...the gray matches the carpeting, the polished spokes match and enhance the bezels of the gauges...I just couldn’t chance the red one that I was looking at to not match the red of the boat and the more I thought about the white, the more I figured that was not a good, long term choice...

[RobMick]

[RobMick]

In my “yanking” on line on these wheels, I learned that the Uflexx wheels are made by Morisini in Italy, and that Uflexx is a line of wheels that they offer. It is leather wrapped not synthetic, actual polished stainless steel spokes and not polished aluminum ....so that and $.25 will get me a cup of water..not even coffee anymore. Including shipping which wasn’t cheap cost $127 delivered.

[Waterdowg]

Looks sharps