I have a few questions about the rudder...
1. Where do you store it when you are traveling? On our first trip I lugged it inside and layed it on the v-berth. Seems like there has to be a better solution. Leaving it in the cockpit seems the easiest, but it could do some real damage in an emergency braking situation. I don't have enough room in the back of the Explorer because that's where I put the outboard.
2. How tight should I tighten the tension bolt? Should it be snug, fairly snug, tight, or so tight the rudder won't rotate? Seem like more than tight could damage the rudder. Luckily it loosens and tightens easily.
3. I found a small piece of very soft dowel rod in the hole to keep the rudder locked in the down position. Is this normal? Seems like it might be based on Bilbo's post: https://forums.sailboatowners.com/index.php?threads/raising-the-rudder.131664/#post-831152
4. What is the procedure for raising the rudder (for shallow water)? Loosening the bolt and pulling the rope, seems precarious. I'm likely to loose the handle. Maybe I should double nut then end of the bolt?
5. How do I secure the rudder in the up (retracted position)? Do I just use the rope and the jam cleat on top? or do I need to tighten the bolt while raised?
6. How high should it raise up? It doesn't seem to want to be parallel with the hull.
7. The rudder has a few war wounds. What could I do to patch it so I can get 2 month of use without doing further damage. Then I can device a more permanent solution over the winter. What would a permanent fix be?
8. Should I wax it, or polish and wax it?
Sorry if the answers seem obvious, but they weren't to me.
Thanks,
Douglas
1. Where do you store it when you are traveling? On our first trip I lugged it inside and layed it on the v-berth. Seems like there has to be a better solution. Leaving it in the cockpit seems the easiest, but it could do some real damage in an emergency braking situation. I don't have enough room in the back of the Explorer because that's where I put the outboard.
2. How tight should I tighten the tension bolt? Should it be snug, fairly snug, tight, or so tight the rudder won't rotate? Seem like more than tight could damage the rudder. Luckily it loosens and tightens easily.
3. I found a small piece of very soft dowel rod in the hole to keep the rudder locked in the down position. Is this normal? Seems like it might be based on Bilbo's post: https://forums.sailboatowners.com/index.php?threads/raising-the-rudder.131664/#post-831152
4. What is the procedure for raising the rudder (for shallow water)? Loosening the bolt and pulling the rope, seems precarious. I'm likely to loose the handle. Maybe I should double nut then end of the bolt?
5. How do I secure the rudder in the up (retracted position)? Do I just use the rope and the jam cleat on top? or do I need to tighten the bolt while raised?
6. How high should it raise up? It doesn't seem to want to be parallel with the hull.
7. The rudder has a few war wounds. What could I do to patch it so I can get 2 month of use without doing further damage. Then I can device a more permanent solution over the winter. What would a permanent fix be?
8. Should I wax it, or polish and wax it?
Sorry if the answers seem obvious, but they weren't to me.
Thanks,
Douglas