After several months of successful operation I think that I came up with a simple and proven rudder to outboard linkage. The installation involved drilling only one hole in the motor housing.
Starting from the motor; I drilled a small hole through which I fed a rope with a knotted end. This rope then is passed through a piece of PVC conduit, through a hole in a rudder mounted bracket. The bracket was attached to the bolts that are used to fasten the rudder gudgeon. From here the rope passes through an eye bolt that replaces the pivot bolt on the tiller. From here the rope moves along the tiller and attaches to a cleat that is normally used as a tiller tamer. The attachment to the cleat uses a bungee cord.
When engaged, the bungee cord places tension on the rope and the motor steers in tandem with the rudder. In one direction the cord is in tension as it pulls the motor, in the other direction the motor is pushed by the PVC conduit.
To disengage, simply slip the bungee off the cleat, removing the tension from the rope, allowing the rudder to move freely or the motor to be raised.
I have loosened the tension bolt on the outboard so that it turns more freely.
Starting from the motor; I drilled a small hole through which I fed a rope with a knotted end. This rope then is passed through a piece of PVC conduit, through a hole in a rudder mounted bracket. The bracket was attached to the bolts that are used to fasten the rudder gudgeon. From here the rope passes through an eye bolt that replaces the pivot bolt on the tiller. From here the rope moves along the tiller and attaches to a cleat that is normally used as a tiller tamer. The attachment to the cleat uses a bungee cord.
When engaged, the bungee cord places tension on the rope and the motor steers in tandem with the rudder. In one direction the cord is in tension as it pulls the motor, in the other direction the motor is pushed by the PVC conduit.
To disengage, simply slip the bungee off the cleat, removing the tension from the rope, allowing the rudder to move freely or the motor to be raised.
I have loosened the tension bolt on the outboard so that it turns more freely.
