I've read the Oday 26 reviews on this Web site. Many of them state that the connection between the tiller and rudder is weak. We are a few days from launch and just noticed a crack in the hole where the tiller head bolts to the rudder. It does not look safe. Besides buying a new rudder, has anyone been able to successfully solve this problem? We are thinking of having a custom-made tiller head made to cap over the entire top part of the rudder. Any suggestions would be helpful? Thanks.
Beefing up Oday 26 tiller/rudder connection
- Thread starter Mike8088
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One of club members owns an O'Day 26 and I noticed that the tiller is very small and chintzy. My O'Day 222 came through with a tiller very similar to that which fits into the top of the Aluminum rudder head. I used a tiller from a previous boat that I owned until it split in half on me on day in a race. I have a tip up rudder and it put a lot of strain on the tiller when the rudder grounded out. I wound up going to Rudy of D&R Marine in Assonet Ma and he fixed me up with a nice beefy straight laminated tiller which has to Stainless Steel plates that fit over the rudder head. In order to keep this tiller from rubbing the top of the boat's transom, I lowered the pintles on the head. This was simple because I was able to use the lower pintle hole and bore another hole for each pintle. Also, I installed a couple of aluminum stops on the rudder head to hold the tiller up and off the top of the transom. These can be purchased in any hardware store and they're used for aluminum screen doors. I'm pretty good at Mickey Mousin'. I still have this tiller and it's worked great for me all these years. Rudy told me that it was an O'Day 25 tiller. Here's some pics of it. Check with Rudy. He may have one in stock. http://www.drmarine.com/
Joe
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I have had a few repairs made to the hood on my O'Day 222. The first one was to the trailing corner that developed a crack. I had a local welder attach an aluminum patch to both corners. That was about 4 years ago and it has held up fine.
Then last year, I found quite a few stress cracks and so I riveted in aluminum plates (with the help of a friend with a lot of great tools) to the forward and trailing edges of the hood. The forward edge required some careful fabrication since the curve of the rudder cuts in. The repair has generally worked pretty well and it definitely eliminated the shifting of the rudder vertically as a result of elongated holes where the rudder stops against the bolt when in the rudder down position, and where the pintles attached to the hood. The fix has probably bought me a few more years without complete replacement.
If I do have to replace it, I would probably get the entire unit from Rudy since it looks like the new rudder is now solid, as opposed to foam cored (which I think is what the original is). There are other options out there including the Idasailor. I've heard mostly good things about it but it is a little more expensive. Anyhow, I like buying from Rudy because I know that everything will fit perfectly.
Dave
O'Day 222
Then last year, I found quite a few stress cracks and so I riveted in aluminum plates (with the help of a friend with a lot of great tools) to the forward and trailing edges of the hood. The forward edge required some careful fabrication since the curve of the rudder cuts in. The repair has generally worked pretty well and it definitely eliminated the shifting of the rudder vertically as a result of elongated holes where the rudder stops against the bolt when in the rudder down position, and where the pintles attached to the hood. The fix has probably bought me a few more years without complete replacement.
If I do have to replace it, I would probably get the entire unit from Rudy since it looks like the new rudder is now solid, as opposed to foam cored (which I think is what the original is). There are other options out there including the Idasailor. I've heard mostly good things about it but it is a little more expensive. Anyhow, I like buying from Rudy because I know that everything will fit perfectly.
Dave
O'Day 222
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Dave,
I've never heard of a rudder head doing that. I would add another pendant line to hold the rudder blade in the up position when the boat is on it's mooring, or anchored in shallow water. All you need is the braid line, a fair lead on top of the head, and a self rescue clam cleat on top of the tiller. Also, you should have a 12" piece of 3/16" Bungee cord connected to your other pendant line to add tension to it when you raise the rudder blade. The tension on the pendant line will help keep the line in the center of the upper part of the blade and prevent it from getting caught in between the inner rudder head casing and the blade. You would need to drill a 1/4" hole in the trailing edge of your rudder blade to connect the rope. I would coat the interior of the hole with epoxy to prevent water from getting into the blade.
Joe
I've never heard of a rudder head doing that. I would add another pendant line to hold the rudder blade in the up position when the boat is on it's mooring, or anchored in shallow water. All you need is the braid line, a fair lead on top of the head, and a self rescue clam cleat on top of the tiller. Also, you should have a 12" piece of 3/16" Bungee cord connected to your other pendant line to add tension to it when you raise the rudder blade. The tension on the pendant line will help keep the line in the center of the upper part of the blade and prevent it from getting caught in between the inner rudder head casing and the blade. You would need to drill a 1/4" hole in the trailing edge of your rudder blade to connect the rope. I would coat the interior of the hole with epoxy to prevent water from getting into the blade.
Joe
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Thanks
I appreciate your answers. We've decided to have a metal fabricator make a new tiller head which will be beefier to displace force over a larger area. Also, it will be bolted farther toward the aft of the rudder head. We figured out that the cracks probably formed because we often steer while standing up. When the tiller was tilted slightly up, there was only about 1.5 inches of surface area for the tiller head to grab onto. The new piece will grab several more inches of the rudder. I'll let you know how it works.
I appreciate your answers. We've decided to have a metal fabricator make a new tiller head which will be beefier to displace force over a larger area. Also, it will be bolted farther toward the aft of the rudder head. We figured out that the cracks probably formed because we often steer while standing up. When the tiller was tilted slightly up, there was only about 1.5 inches of surface area for the tiller head to grab onto. The new piece will grab several more inches of the rudder. I'll let you know how it works.
Hi Joe and others -
While I'm not certain why the stress cracks occurred, before I got new sails there was a lot of weather helm and I could see the stress on the hood when that happened. (Note to self - add that to the list of rationales the next time I need to convince the admiral that I need a new mainsail). I like Joe's design on the rudder and will probably tackle that later in the season. I'm hoping to splash on Wed. and have to get through the rest of my list today. I'm getting close.
Dave
O'Day 222
While I'm not certain why the stress cracks occurred, before I got new sails there was a lot of weather helm and I could see the stress on the hood when that happened. (Note to self - add that to the list of rationales the next time I need to convince the admiral that I need a new mainsail). I like Joe's design on the rudder and will probably tackle that later in the season. I'm hoping to splash on Wed. and have to get through the rest of my list today. I'm getting close.
Dave
O'Day 222
Dave,
If you are experiencing a lot of weather helm on your tiller, you need to rake your mast forward a little. That's probably why your rudder head is cracking on you. The only other thing that would cause weather helm on your tiller is having the rudder blade creep up a little while you're sailing. Try moving your mast forward a little. If you rake the mast too far forward, the boat will want to sail away from the wind when you let go of the tiller you'll need to rake it back. A little weather helm is OK, but you don't want lee helm. You shouldn't be getting excessive weather helm on this boat.
Joe
Dave,
Come to think of it, I just took a good luck at these pictures and I don't see the Teak spacing block behind your pintles on your rudder head. Is that the way the PO had it set up? The rudder blade is supposed to come in contact with the bottom of the Teak block. If the blade isn't all the way down on my boat, I'll feel a lot of weather helm in my tiller. It's possible that if your rudder blade is going too far forward, you could experience the same type of weather helm. I'm not sure about this, but it's possible. There should be two Teak blocks on your rudder casing. One in front and one in back. The blade needs to be against the bottom of the teak block on the pintles side, or the front of the rudder head. This could be your problem. Before you move your mast, try Mickey Mousing a temporary stop for your rudder blade and try different blade positions until the helm feels good.
Joe
Hi Joe -
There was no teak block on the rudder when I got it (9 years ago). I see a little of what you are describing in your pictures but I'm not completely sure how this would fit it and be attached. It could certainly explain the excessive flexing when I was getting weather helm. I would note that the weather helm subsided a lot when I got a new mainsail. My old sails were really blown out and new ones made a huge difference.
If you get a chance, can you take a few more pictures. If it's a problem, I can just ask Rudy. Thanks as always for your input. I'm hoping to splash tomorrow. I went to dump it in the water yesterday only to find the launch ramp closed for "paving/re-striping the parking lot". Unfortunately no other good options for launching. The ramp is open tomorrow so after the weather clears, I'll should finally have it in the water.
Best regards,
Dave
O'Day 222
There was no teak block on the rudder when I got it (9 years ago). I see a little of what you are describing in your pictures but I'm not completely sure how this would fit it and be attached. It could certainly explain the excessive flexing when I was getting weather helm. I would note that the weather helm subsided a lot when I got a new mainsail. My old sails were really blown out and new ones made a huge difference.
If you get a chance, can you take a few more pictures. If it's a problem, I can just ask Rudy. Thanks as always for your input. I'm hoping to splash tomorrow. I went to dump it in the water yesterday only to find the launch ramp closed for "paving/re-striping the parking lot". Unfortunately no other good options for launching. The ramp is open tomorrow so after the weather clears, I'll should finally have it in the water.
Best regards,
Dave
O'Day 222
Hi Dave,
Apparently, the PO must have removed the Teak for some reason. I'll see what I can do for pictures and also the rudder blade angle if I possibly can. We spent two overnighters this past week out on the river. It was nice to be out on the water again.
Joe
Apparently, the PO must have removed the Teak for some reason. I'll see what I can do for pictures and also the rudder blade angle if I possibly can. We spent two overnighters this past week out on the river. It was nice to be out on the water again.
Joe
Thanks Joe -
I finally got the boat in the water and had a couple of nice days of sailing. Today was excellent with 12-15 knots of wind and lots of sun but not too hot. Having relatively new sails makes a lot of difference. Full jib, one reef in the main and the boat was very nicely balanced with no weather helm. Not many boats on the lake after the A-Boat races ended (man they were flying). We basically had the lake to ourselves. Finally summer has started!
Best regards,
Dave
I finally got the boat in the water and had a couple of nice days of sailing. Today was excellent with 12-15 knots of wind and lots of sun but not too hot. Having relatively new sails makes a lot of difference. Full jib, one reef in the main and the boat was very nicely balanced with no weather helm. Not many boats on the lake after the A-Boat races ended (man they were flying). We basically had the lake to ourselves. Finally summer has started!
Best regards,
Dave
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