On Wed, 25 Feb 2004, Jim Cate wrote:

[ In considering a 1982 Cal 30 for bay and coastal
cruising near Houston - Galveston which I might
also want to offer for rental I'm advised I ought
consider converting from the existing tiller to
wheel steering, which I've been told can be done
for around $1,000 to $1,500, and I wonder about
equipment sources and experience with this boat
in general in terms of whether it is/isn't ] stable
though perhaps not very speedy boat, suitable for
"near-shore" blue water sailing.

Query whether you've actually verified that the guesstimated
conversion price to which you refer is realistic/reliable (though,
relatedly, you don't make clear whether you have in mind
canibalization [of reliable equipment?] compared with buying new)

Further, since you don't say anything whatever about

- the equipment/condition of the particular boat
you've looked at (other than that it is designed
with and has a tiller), or

- about where in the +/- $13-to-$21K price range
these sorts of boats appear to be offered for
sale you probably would pay for that boat, or

- what (if any) esthetic/utility enhancement to
_you_ (as compared with your contemplated part
time rental agent and renters) you believe probably
would result from the conversion apart from
dollar cost (not even whether you would/wouldn't
care how the conversion probably will affect that
boat's comparatively limited cockpit space, etc.), or

- probably how long you will keep/use the boat, or

- whether you even care (one way or t'other)
whether if (when?) you sell or trade the wheel
instead of tiller will/won't enhance the liklihood
of a later sale by you or whether you probably
will/won't recoup any of the the dollar cost of
conversion,

you make it difficult for anyone to offer any (for _you_) probably
reliable suggestions.

As for new equipment sources, probably the most well known (but not
the only one) is Edson (which, if asked, will give you an equipment
list and price for your model sailboat), re. which see:
http://www.edsonmarine.com/sailboat/sailboat_toc.html

Re. the boat itself, you might want to look thought the Sailnet List
archives for comments by owners/users and see whether Practical Sailor
has reviewed the particular model you have in mind.

Arguably the most signficant element of your posting/query is less
what (if any) brand of steering wheel to install (or not), or any
element of sailing, as such, but rather that it suggests the
desirability of your reading and thinking carefully about the issues
raised (and, perhaps, the books reviewed in) the March 1, 2004 issue
of "The New Yorker" magazine re. choice-making:
http://www.newyorker.com/critics/art/?040301crbo_books