Tiller Q's and general Q's

[Tim Launiere]

I recently aquired a 94 Hunter 26 water balast sailboat. The tiller seems awfully spongy. Currently there is 1/8" rubber between the rudder and the side plates and 1/8" plexiglass between the tiller and the side plates. The only way to get the spongy feel out of the tiller is to tighten the pivot bolt to a point that prevents me from raising and lowering the rudder using the lines provided. I wonder if the current setup with the rubber and plexiglass is correct and if there is a better way. I used to race a McGregggor 26' and I just tightened the rudder pivot bolt down for stiffness which worked well.The cabin top flexes above the sink when stepping down from the dock (Lake Michigan water level is way down or the dock is way up). Any problem with this flexing and are there ideas for supporting this area? The port side is supported by the head wall. Any suggestions on placement of a stereo and speakers? Cutting holes is a major mod and I want to be sure. I feel that a good stereo will surely make the boat perform better.

 

[William Jowell]

Cabin brace.

I installed a brace from the sink to a teak shelf and from the shelf to the cabin top. Works great and I have a great place for lots of "stuff".

 

[Alan]

mushy rudder

Yes it is. Someone in the owner reviews posted his fix, I think welding braces to the aluminum plates. I was thinking of having stainless plates fabricated to replace the aluminum ones. alan

 

[Ray Bowles]

Tim, On my 95 H26 I crank the rudder pivot..

wing nut just as tight as possible by both hands. If you hit something with the rudder that isn't big enough to stop the boat then there is enough give in the system for the rudder to kick up enough.The worst that can happen is that your rudder locking wingnut is not tight and in strong wind and seas the rudder slips back away from the full down position and the boat becomes virtually impossible to steer. For an idea about the danger this causes move the rudder back 8" to 10", lock it down and try to steer the boat using the outboard for power.We lock down our rudder, cleat the rope to the cleat on the bottom of the tiller and then bungee the excess rope to the tiller extension rod base.Raysv Speedy

 

[Joe R]

Bose speakers

I have my speakers in the cabin pointed towards the companion way and cross angled at the opposite stern rail seat.You can hear stereo in the cockpit just fine and you dont bother the neighbors when docked.The speakers are not exposed to the elements (although they are rated for such) and they are not vulnerable to theft.

 

[sean]

spongy deck

A simple fix to correct that spongy deck feeling, is to take down the cover plate below the starboard winch and buy some expandable spray foam, try to get as far in as you possibly can and spray slowly, being careful not to let it spill out.

 

[Gerard]

just had a spongy tiller...

Our bolt at the top of the brace (the one that doesn't run through the tiller)had losened and caused the bolts that run through the brace and tiller to wear the correspondimg holes in the tiller out of round. Tightening everything is a quick fix while I order a new wood tiller. The rope from the rudder to the tiller has always been 100% useless to me. I just tighten down the wingnut until the rudder holds. Works great.good luck...