Just finished a good season of sailing and now starting off-season projects. My rudder is heavy and sinks below the surface when set free, but doesn't go all the way down. My uphaul/downhaul lines were not routed correctly so I couldn't get the rudder all the way down (replacing line and routing properly now). I put up with some extra pressure on the rudder and did okay but now I want a good solution.
The 23.5 has a horn cleat on the bottom of the tiller to tie off the uphaul/downhaul line. I don't want to tie it off in the down position because of the risk of damage if I hit something in shallow water. I've seen other threads about an auto-release cam cleat. (Here's a link to one. Here's a link to a modification on the H260 using the auto-release cam cleat.) I found one advertised with good diagrams on how it works and how to mount it, even on the bottom side of the tiller. (Here's a link to that.) If you mount it on the bottom, you need a band of elastic on the bow side of the cleat to keep the line horizontal so the cleat can do it's job if needed. Only other auto release cam cleat I could find was this one at West Marine.
Looking to see if anyone has come up with a better solution than this for the 23.5. Also interested to hear from anyone who's used this solution with tips for installation or operation.
Attached a picture of my rudder. Plenty of other posts asking about how to raise it all the way out of the water. PO put a hole through the top of the rudder. I ran some paracord from that to the rudder plates. Easy to pull all the way up now.
Also attached a picture of my tiller. PO had an auto helm system which is why I think there's two sets of holes on the bottom side. Expecting I can use one of these for the auto-release cleat.
Thanks!
The 23.5 has a horn cleat on the bottom of the tiller to tie off the uphaul/downhaul line. I don't want to tie it off in the down position because of the risk of damage if I hit something in shallow water. I've seen other threads about an auto-release cam cleat. (Here's a link to one. Here's a link to a modification on the H260 using the auto-release cam cleat.) I found one advertised with good diagrams on how it works and how to mount it, even on the bottom side of the tiller. (Here's a link to that.) If you mount it on the bottom, you need a band of elastic on the bow side of the cleat to keep the line horizontal so the cleat can do it's job if needed. Only other auto release cam cleat I could find was this one at West Marine.
Looking to see if anyone has come up with a better solution than this for the 23.5. Also interested to hear from anyone who's used this solution with tips for installation or operation.
Attached a picture of my rudder. Plenty of other posts asking about how to raise it all the way out of the water. PO put a hole through the top of the rudder. I ran some paracord from that to the rudder plates. Easy to pull all the way up now.
Also attached a picture of my tiller. PO had an auto helm system which is why I think there's two sets of holes on the bottom side. Expecting I can use one of these for the auto-release cleat.
Thanks!
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