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1975 Venture 25 Stock Rudder before modification.
Rudder after cuts and holes drilled.
Rudder showing angle cut in top section, allowing the lower section to also angle more upward. I think a little safer traveling down the road. Seven small holes in top section to mount plates and one larger hole in lower section for the pivot bolt.
Aluminum plates 3/16" x 11-1/4" wide (at the bottom) x 18" high, cut with an electric hand jig saw in about 20 minutes. Used cut off material to make bracket for push down rod. A bolt in lower section holds a steel cable running back between plates up through pintle brackets (changed to 1/4" line above water line) to pulley under tiller, forward to self releasing clam cleat also under side of tiller.
I added two pieces of aluminum 29" long to each side of the tiller (extending 17" aft of the rudder). They are ground to a very snug fit into the brackets holding the tiller to the rudder. A line runs from the push down rod bracket upwards between 2 bolts with PVC spacers at the end of the aluminum, forward to a small cleat on the tiller. To raise the rudder, simply lift the tiller handle, pull the line taught & hold it over the cleat, push down tiller handle and the rudder pops right up. Also the system holds the rudder up while traveling.
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