Last week-end, I pulled the muscles in my sholder while trying to pull the rudder out of the water to an upright position. I pull it up because the slip is in shallow water and I don't want to chance damage from rubbing the seawall when the boat is backed in. Iv'e been grabbing the end of the rudder on the bottom side with a boat hook and pulling it up. This creates an awkward angle for pulling which resulted in the injury. How do other sailors handle the task of pulling the rudder to the upright position? Thanks for any suggestions you can give me.
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Rick Macdonald
Only done it once so far
...and I don't remember, but this was when putting it on the trailer. When you release the big friction wing nut, does the rudder then float to the horizontal, and you lift it the rest of the way with the boat hook? I think the intention is that the rudder uphaul should be able to lift it the rest of the way. If this is true (not sure) but the force is too great, then perhaps the line isn't threaded properly around the "stuff" (bolts etc) between the rudder housing plates. There's a diagram in the manual. I gather the rudder downhaul is how you get the rudder back down again once it's floating horizontally?
...and I don't remember, but this was when putting it on the trailer. When you release the big friction wing nut, does the rudder then float to the horizontal, and you lift it the rest of the way with the boat hook? I think the intention is that the rudder uphaul should be able to lift it the rest of the way. If this is true (not sure) but the force is too great, then perhaps the line isn't threaded properly around the "stuff" (bolts etc) between the rudder housing plates. There's a diagram in the manual. I gather the rudder downhaul is how you get the rudder back down again once it's floating horizontally?
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Rick Webb
It is a Pain
I use the boat hook to lasso a line around the rudder and pullit up with the line. If the line is long enough you could use one of the winches untill your all healed and can manhandle it again.
I use the boat hook to lasso a line around the rudder and pullit up with the line. If the line is long enough you could use one of the winches untill your all healed and can manhandle it again.
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Dale Wile
Slick trick...
I took an old paint roller frame, cut the 1/4" metal rod about an inch forward of the plastic handle, and cut a thread in the metal with a thread die (1/4-20 threads per inch). To this I threaded a 1/4" coupler (1/4" female threads on each end, found in the bolt department of a well-stocked hardware store). On the other end of the coupler I screwed in an eye bolt, 1/4" threads by about 3 inches long. Using about 20 inches of flexible chain, I inserted each of the end links into the eye bolt by prying apart the eye and then hammering it closed. To make things a little nicer (and softer on the rudder), my wife sewed a sleeve the length of the chain, using upholstery vinyl. I slipped the sleeve on the chain before attaching it to the eye bolt. I always carry on my boat an extendable paint roller handle (adjusts from about 3 feet to 6 feet). I use this handle with a bottom scrubbing brush, as well as with a floor broom to sweep the dock. For pulling up the rudder, I thread the old paint roller to the roller handle. I use the lines that are attached to the tiller to pull it up as far as I can do so comfortably. Then, I take my device, slip the chain over the outer end of the rudder, and very easily pull it to a vertical position. The length of the chain is a bit critical. You want it long enough to smoothly slip over the tapered end of the rudder, but not so long to allow it to slide up the full length of the rudder. I've used this for probably six or seven years (ever since the day I didn't get the tiller high enough and dragged it up the launch ramp, necessitating a fiberglass repair job) and it has worked beautifully. And I have the adjustable handle for a variety of other uses.
I took an old paint roller frame, cut the 1/4" metal rod about an inch forward of the plastic handle, and cut a thread in the metal with a thread die (1/4-20 threads per inch). To this I threaded a 1/4" coupler (1/4" female threads on each end, found in the bolt department of a well-stocked hardware store). On the other end of the coupler I screwed in an eye bolt, 1/4" threads by about 3 inches long. Using about 20 inches of flexible chain, I inserted each of the end links into the eye bolt by prying apart the eye and then hammering it closed. To make things a little nicer (and softer on the rudder), my wife sewed a sleeve the length of the chain, using upholstery vinyl. I slipped the sleeve on the chain before attaching it to the eye bolt. I always carry on my boat an extendable paint roller handle (adjusts from about 3 feet to 6 feet). I use this handle with a bottom scrubbing brush, as well as with a floor broom to sweep the dock. For pulling up the rudder, I thread the old paint roller to the roller handle. I use the lines that are attached to the tiller to pull it up as far as I can do so comfortably. Then, I take my device, slip the chain over the outer end of the rudder, and very easily pull it to a vertical position. The length of the chain is a bit critical. You want it long enough to smoothly slip over the tapered end of the rudder, but not so long to allow it to slide up the full length of the rudder. I've used this for probably six or seven years (ever since the day I didn't get the tiller high enough and dragged it up the launch ramp, necessitating a fiberglass repair job) and it has worked beautifully. And I have the adjustable handle for a variety of other uses.
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Bob Noble
Dale Once you have it raised.
How do you keep it in the raised position? I’ve used a ¼” line to “lasso” the released rudder and then tie it off to keep it from banging about in the slip. Bob SV Miss LIsa
How do you keep it in the raised position? I’ve used a ¼” line to “lasso” the released rudder and then tie it off to keep it from banging about in the slip. Bob SV Miss LIsa
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Dale Wile
Answer for Bob...
I rarely raise the rudder except when pulling the boat from the water. I crank down on the wing nut on the rudder case to secure the rudder in the vertical position while I retrieve the boat onto the trailer and pull it up the ramp to solid ground. Before I tow it down the road, I run a line from one of the aft cleats, take a couple of overlapping turns around the rudder, than snug it off at the other cleat. For extra safety, I hook one end of a heavy bungee to the transom rail, take it around the rudder, and hook the other end back on the rail. Never have had a problem. I may not be the smartest old salt on the dock, but I know that you don't have to stick your hand in the flame from the galley stove to know that it is hot. One time dragging my rudder up the concrete launch ramp convinced me there was a better solution to raising the rudder.
I rarely raise the rudder except when pulling the boat from the water. I crank down on the wing nut on the rudder case to secure the rudder in the vertical position while I retrieve the boat onto the trailer and pull it up the ramp to solid ground. Before I tow it down the road, I run a line from one of the aft cleats, take a couple of overlapping turns around the rudder, than snug it off at the other cleat. For extra safety, I hook one end of a heavy bungee to the transom rail, take it around the rudder, and hook the other end back on the rail. Never have had a problem. I may not be the smartest old salt on the dock, but I know that you don't have to stick your hand in the flame from the galley stove to know that it is hot. One time dragging my rudder up the concrete launch ramp convinced me there was a better solution to raising the rudder.
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Steve
Good Idea
Dale, Thanks for sharing your solution. I'm going to make one this week-end and giove it a try the next time we're out. Thanks Steve
Dale, Thanks for sharing your solution. I'm going to make one this week-end and giove it a try the next time we're out. Thanks Steve
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arturo devitalis
This works for me
on my '93 model, after lowering the swim ladder, I go to the bottom rung, which is in the water, swing the rudder over to me. hold the stern rail with my left hand, loosen the tension plate with the right and reach down and lift the darn thing up; then tighten the tension plate. That's it. Last year I added a PVC end cap to the table post that fits in the cockpit square slot, installed an oar lock and when the rudder is up and the tension plate tightened it is easy to put the tiller into its parking place.
on my '93 model, after lowering the swim ladder, I go to the bottom rung, which is in the water, swing the rudder over to me. hold the stern rail with my left hand, loosen the tension plate with the right and reach down and lift the darn thing up; then tighten the tension plate. That's it. Last year I added a PVC end cap to the table post that fits in the cockpit square slot, installed an oar lock and when the rudder is up and the tension plate tightened it is easy to put the tiller into its parking place.
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Hayden Jones
I attached a third line to the rudder......
The rudder had a down haul line and an uphaul line. The problem was theuphaul line only brought the rudder to the water line. So, I attached a second up haul line to the port side of the rudder near it's bottom by attaching a small fair lead (the ruder is solid there and will hold screws)to which I attached the third line (1/4 inch line). I ran the othre end of the line through the cleat on the underside of my tiller and tied a stop knot. When the rudder is uphauled to the water line with the original line, there is a 45 degree angle fromthe stern to the end of the rudder. I then pull up the ridder using the newly attached line. Once up, I tie off the new up haul line, using the cleat. It works great for the slip and for trailering. When sailing I let the line (still attached to the cleat by a stop knot) drag inthe water. It sure beats muscling the rudder up. Hayden
The rudder had a down haul line and an uphaul line. The problem was theuphaul line only brought the rudder to the water line. So, I attached a second up haul line to the port side of the rudder near it's bottom by attaching a small fair lead (the ruder is solid there and will hold screws)to which I attached the third line (1/4 inch line). I ran the othre end of the line through the cleat on the underside of my tiller and tied a stop knot. When the rudder is uphauled to the water line with the original line, there is a 45 degree angle fromthe stern to the end of the rudder. I then pull up the ridder using the newly attached line. Once up, I tie off the new up haul line, using the cleat. It works great for the slip and for trailering. When sailing I let the line (still attached to the cleat by a stop knot) drag inthe water. It sure beats muscling the rudder up. Hayden
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Sean
Lifting Rudder
The rudder on the H240 floats. I believe it is the same on the 23.5. I also lift my rudder when boats in slip. I uncleat the downhaul line. I stand on the swim platform staying dry facing aft and bounce the rudder up and down in the water with the uphaul line in my left hand. After a few times I give it a quick jerk up and grab the bottom of the rudder with my right hand. I then pin it in the up position.
The rudder on the H240 floats. I believe it is the same on the 23.5. I also lift my rudder when boats in slip. I uncleat the downhaul line. I stand on the swim platform staying dry facing aft and bounce the rudder up and down in the water with the uphaul line in my left hand. After a few times I give it a quick jerk up and grab the bottom of the rudder with my right hand. I then pin it in the up position.
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Frank Ladd
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Rick Macdonald
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Frank Ladd
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