How to rig the rudder on a 26S

[LFC4ME]

Does anyone have a diagram or picture of how the rudder should be rigged? I have just bought my boat and have about 4 different ideas (from different experts) on how the rudder should operate and be rigged. I need some feedback from a 26S owner.

Cheers

 

[Doc_holiday]

On top of your rudder is probably 2 holes. They line up with the holes on the bracket. There may be a hole in the leading edge (fat side) and one on the trailing edge.

Use the bottom of the two top holes for your pivot bolt. The upper hole would be used for a shear bolt.

If you have a cable or rope tied to the front hole, that rope goes up through the tube, over the bolt and this is the haul down. I actually have a small block at the top of the tube that leads that like to a quick release clam.

A line from the trailing edge can be used to haul the rudder up. I have a clip on the end and keep it connected to my rear stay. This is so I don't lose the line and get it tangled into my prop

Now that I have confused you, I need to figure out how to draw it.

 

[Doc_holiday]

I also have a clip on the haul down line (make sure it's long enough so it doesn't stop the haul up from working) so when it's in the up position, I clip that to the rear stay.

Fwiw, I keep my rudder out of the water when it's in its slip.

I also put it up for transport (and ties it off) and at the ramp. Although I sometimes remove the rudder for transport.

 

[Sock Puppet]

Yup, I do the same as Doc.

 

[Leatherneck]

my rudder only came with a line attached to the trailing edge, which I use for raising and lowering. Am I missing a line that should be attached to the leading edge for lowering?

 

[BILLNPR]

Good drawing, but there is also a cross rod at the bottom and top of the tiller tube inside. The up haul line passes in front of the bottom bar and behind the top bar. This prevents the uphaul line from being cut by the lip of the tube.
Duckworth has an auto release cleat that many use.
http://www.duckworksbbs.com/hardware/cleats/sd002570/index.htm

This exciting new cleat will release a line when a set load is exceeded

 

[Leatherneck]

I also have a clip on the haul down line (make sure it's long enough so it doesn't stop the haul up from working) so when it's in the up position, I clip that to the rear stay.

Fwiw, I keep my rudder out of the water when it's in its slip.

I also put it up for transport (and ties it off) and at the ramp. Although I sometimes remove the rudder for transport.

Took me a while, but now I see. I'm going home tonight and rigging mine this way. Thanks!

 

[Cowpokee]

Good drawing, but there is also a cross rod at the bottom and top of the tiller tube inside. The up haul line passes in front of the bottom bar and behind the top bar. This prevents the uphaul line from being cut by the lip of the tube.

Good point, I had better check mine to make sure it is routed this way, although I have a cable I got from Blue Water Yachts.

 

[Meriachee]

And some of them, if it wasn't mentioned here already, have what appears to be an "extra" bolt hole. That is for using a bolt to lock the rudder down. Kinda defeats the purpose.

 

[Meriachee]

Although I sometimes remove the rudder for transport

Probably a good idea, there's a lot of up and down at that end of the boat when going down the road. It's hard on the pivot bolt hole. Easy enough to remove the rudder.

 

[vizwhiz]

Some of the boats (like mine) came with a cable instead of a rope. Works the same way, with a piece of rope on the end of the cable for tying to the tiller. Doc has it drawn right, and Billnpr is correct about the cross rod. You don't want to pass the rope just over the edge of the tube, but go over the crossrod to keep the rope off the edge of the tube - so it makes kind of a tall skinny "z" shape in doc's picture.
You can replace the cable with rope and it works fine. I snapped the cable early on (before the easy release cleat), and replaced it with rope.

Also, if you look on that "large south american river" shopping site, you can find that same cleat release for about $20-25. I bought it there. The search is just a little tricky to get the right item, and it is only offered by a couple sellers. Really like it. Popped the rudder up a couple times this past weekend when we were looking for an anchorage spot in shallow water.

 

[Leatherneck]

I rigged mine as shown above in the drawing. Lowering the rudder is a breeze. However raising the rudder is very hard. I ran the raising line through a block on the rail. It works, but it takes a lot of muscle.

 

[vizwhiz]

I did the same - a block to cut the pull in half. But you are right, it is pretty heavy still. I found that it helps to have a handle of some sort, and not just the rope. Also, don't try to pull it up too fast. It fills with water and needs a little time to drain out. Then it gets a little lighter...

 

[Leatherneck]

I did the same - a block to cut the pull in half. But you are right, it is pretty heavy still. I found that it helps to have a handle of some sort, and not just the rope. Also, don't try to pull it up too fast. It fills with water and needs a little time to drain out. Then it gets a little lighter...

There must be a way to get better mechanical advantage with an additional block. I just haven't figured it out yet

 

[vizwhiz]

Well...i don't exactly just have one block, although I've seen many who do. I have the advantage that I mounted a tall arch on the back of my boat - the top of it is about 4' above the rear deck. I got the idea i used fron others who had a factory rear railing, like on the 26M boats.

So my uphaul line starts by the tiller post, attached to the transom. It goes down to the back of the rudder where it passes thru a block that is lashed to the back of the rudder...the lashing is loose enough that that block stays just high enough to stay pretty much out of the water when all is at rest. The line turns upward and goes all the way up to the arch. There is a block lashed up there that the line passes thru then aims down at the deck again. I tied a spring clip to the end of the line there. When i want to raise the rudder all the way up, i just grab the clip (it's a pretty good size one so it works like a handle) and pull down toward the deck. (One advantage is that i am pulling down, so i can sit in the cockpit and do it pretty comfortably.) I clip it to the leftover mast crutch tube holder and it stays up very nicely and securely. When i want to lower the rudder, i just unclip it and let go. The weight of the rudder pulls the rope thru and the clip rises up to the arch. (Then I pull on the downhaul to finish and secure it.) I had to work with the lengths a little to get it right, but it seems to work pretty well so far.

You can definitely work out a multi-part arrangement to get a better advantage. But if you don't have a railing or arch or something up above the transom, then you'll have to locate something to hang the blocks from...maybe even adding a small bracket to the back of the transom.

 

[williamtl]

@vizwhiz I'm designing my stern rail and would like to incorporate something like this. Can we get some pics please?

 

[Leatherneck]

Well...i don't exactly just have one block, although I've seen many who do. I have the advantage that I mounted a tall arch on the back of my boat - the top of it is about 4' above the rear deck. I got the idea i used fron others who had a factory rear railing, like on the 26M boats.

So my uphaul line starts by the tiller post, attached to the transom. It goes down to the back of the rudder where it passes thru a block that is lashed to the back of the rudder...the lashing is loose enough that that block stays just high enough to stay pretty much out of the water when all is at rest. The line turns upward and goes all the way up to the arch. There is a block lashed up there that the line passes thru then aims down at the deck again. I tied a spring clip to the end of the line there. When i want to raise the rudder all the way up, i just grab the clip (it's a pretty good size one so it works like a handle) and pull down toward the deck. (One advantage is that i am pulling down, so i can sit in the cockpit and do it pretty comfortably.) I clip it to the leftover mast crutch tube holder and it stays up very nicely and securely. When i want to lower the rudder, i just unclip it and let go. The weight of the rudder pulls the rope thru and the clip rises up to the arch. (Then I pull on the downhaul to finish and secure it.) I had to work with the lengths a little to get it right, but it seems to work pretty well so far.

You can definitely work out a multi-part arrangement to get a better advantage. But if you don't have a railing or arch or something up above the transom, then you'll have to locate something to hang the blocks from...maybe even adding a small bracket to the back of the transom.

Okay, I'm thoroughly confused. LOL

 

[Leatherneck]

Is this a design flaw in the mac? Seems to me the boat should come from the factory with a system in place for manipulating the rudder.

 

[vizwhiz]

Okay, that was my thousand words to explain it, here's the pictures...
The factory gives you a rope - technically all you need to raise the rudder. But the rudder is a bit heavy, and on an S or D boat with the lazarette between you and the transom, it can be a bit of a reach as well. I added the arch because i didn't have a stern rail - no structure on the back of the boat. So now I have a great place to hang stuff and mount stuff and lean on...
The picture shows the clip hanging behind the cockpit area while underway. To raise the rudder, i release the downhaul (on top of the tiller) and pull down on the clip. I drew a schematic cuz i don't have any good pictures of the setup where you can see the ropes.

The arch came from Fish-on Sports. It is called the Junior Uni-Arch. I bought it with the fishing rod holders and some additional pieces.

 

[williamtl]

Thanks so much @vizwhiz, very helpful!