As I was heading out of inlet. Broke where bolt holes are at rudder. My Dealer is very knowledgeable and helpful and can get me a replacement. I would like some opinions regarding wood vs. aluminum tiller. I know the wooden tiller is superior from a cosmetic view, but are they as strong as the std. aluminum tiller?
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Gerard
my experience
Last year I had H & L make me a wooden tiller for my H26. It was absolutely beautiful and only cost $80 including finishing and shipping. Then one day out on Lake Ontario in 20 knot winds and surfing downwind in 4 foot breaking chop it broke near where it exits the rudder bracket. Luckily I had kept the aluminum one on board in case I ever needed it. H & L was great and built me another one for free. This time they made it about 6-8" shorter. Then I had 10" aluminum braces made that I placed on each side just about 1/2" after it exits the rudder bracket. So far it works great, looks great, and feels strong. But I'll always carry that aluminum one just in case. Good luck.
Last year I had H & L make me a wooden tiller for my H26. It was absolutely beautiful and only cost $80 including finishing and shipping. Then one day out on Lake Ontario in 20 knot winds and surfing downwind in 4 foot breaking chop it broke near where it exits the rudder bracket. Luckily I had kept the aluminum one on board in case I ever needed it. H & L was great and built me another one for free. This time they made it about 6-8" shorter. Then I had 10" aluminum braces made that I placed on each side just about 1/2" after it exits the rudder bracket. So far it works great, looks great, and feels strong. But I'll always carry that aluminum one just in case. Good luck.
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Frank Ladd
I'd stay with aluminum
I don't like the maintenance headaches of exterior wood so I'd opt for the strong and easy to maintain aluminim. If I wanted to put wood on my boat I'd only put it inside. One of the things that makes the Hunters handle so well is their large rudders. Your 26 has a much larger rudder than many boas its size or weight, this makes it turn on a dime and improved tacking and windward performance. The downside of a large rudder is that the forces on the tiller can become very strong whenever the boat is out of balance. To minimize this you need to make certain that the sails are balanced and that the rudder is pulled all the way down when ever the winds are blowing strong. I know many folks want to switch over to a pretty wood J24 tiller but the J24 does not come with a kick up rudder so I cannot see that it wood would work well. The tiller and the rudder are designed to work together so I would not change one without changing the other.
I don't like the maintenance headaches of exterior wood so I'd opt for the strong and easy to maintain aluminim. If I wanted to put wood on my boat I'd only put it inside. One of the things that makes the Hunters handle so well is their large rudders. Your 26 has a much larger rudder than many boas its size or weight, this makes it turn on a dime and improved tacking and windward performance. The downside of a large rudder is that the forces on the tiller can become very strong whenever the boat is out of balance. To minimize this you need to make certain that the sails are balanced and that the rudder is pulled all the way down when ever the winds are blowing strong. I know many folks want to switch over to a pretty wood J24 tiller but the J24 does not come with a kick up rudder so I cannot see that it wood would work well. The tiller and the rudder are designed to work together so I would not change one without changing the other.
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Marcel
Maintenance problems
I replaced a solid mahogany tiller on a '90 Mac 26 with a home-made replacement when the original started getting ratty, and also because I was concerned about the strength of it. I built a laminated tiller, 4 layers, alternating oak and teak boards epoxied together. It was bulletproof, breakage was not an issue any more, but maintenance was. Even with the best varnish I could find on it, the finish was failing after less than a year. I re-finished it, and had a canvas shop sew me a cover that covered all the exposed wood. That solved the finish problems. On an H-26 though, the wood section in between the rudder gussets would be prone to wear the finish off from movement, and covering the wood would require a fancy custom cover to protect everything. It can be done, but aluminum would be the cheapest and easiest.
I replaced a solid mahogany tiller on a '90 Mac 26 with a home-made replacement when the original started getting ratty, and also because I was concerned about the strength of it. I built a laminated tiller, 4 layers, alternating oak and teak boards epoxied together. It was bulletproof, breakage was not an issue any more, but maintenance was. Even with the best varnish I could find on it, the finish was failing after less than a year. I re-finished it, and had a canvas shop sew me a cover that covered all the exposed wood. That solved the finish problems. On an H-26 though, the wood section in between the rudder gussets would be prone to wear the finish off from movement, and covering the wood would require a fancy custom cover to protect everything. It can be done, but aluminum would be the cheapest and easiest.
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Colin
More info on H & I Gerard please.
I am in the market for some new foils, could you get me a contact address for H&I. Thanks in advance. Colin
I am in the market for some new foils, could you get me a contact address for H&I. Thanks in advance. Colin
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Gerard
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Rick Webb
Quick Fix
If it is like the one on my 23.5 the tiller is symetrical flip it over drill a hole in the other end and go sailing may not even need a new tiller.
If it is like the one on my 23.5 the tiller is symetrical flip it over drill a hole in the other end and go sailing may not even need a new tiller.
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