quick fix for rudder slop

[mastreb]

Brian, any chance of making these for sale? I'd spring $50 for a set.

[Gypsea Wind]

I'll take a set also.

[innervations]

Great solution. I am happy to buy a set.

[BOAT]

Yeah!

(Here is a picture of seahouse again in case you did not catch it):

[seahouse]

Brian, any chance of making these for sale? I'd spring $50 for a set.

.

I've been purging that stuff lately, but I'll take a look at work to see if I still have the pattern after 3+ years. If so, sure, I can make a number of them up. If not, then it'll be a couple of months until I have access to my boat so I can trace the outline of the bracket for the pattern.

I'll let everybody know next week. $50 sounds good and will include shipping.

-Brian.

[innervations]

I bought an off-cut sheet of white HDPE today for $10 from a plastic manufacturer. 3mm thick so a little under 1/8" but all they had (Seahouse used 1/16" thick HDPE sheet). Hopefully not too thick but my rudders are pretty sloppy in the brackets

I am going to cutout 4 plastic inserts to shape as per Seahouse's mod and also add large SS washers to the outsides. There are detailed drawings of the brackets (rudder grip) still on the MacGregor website: http://www.macgregor26.com/suppliers_co ... r_grip.pdf to use as a pattern.

[innervations]

Forgot to mention the drawing is scaled to 50% so you will need to enlarge on your printer or photocopier by a factor of 200%

[seahouse]

I bought an off-cut sheet of white HDPE today for $10 from a plastic manufacturer. 3mm thick so a little under 1/8" but all they had (Seahouse used 1/16" thick HDPE sheet). Hopefully not too thick but my rudders are pretty sloppy in the brackets

I am going to cutout 4 plastic inserts to shape as per Seahouse's mod and also add large SS washers to the outsides. There are detailed drawings of the brackets (rudder grip) still on the MacGregor website: http://www.macgregor26.com/suppliers_co ... r_grip.pdf to use as a pattern.

I had no luck on finding the pattern today, but that PDF drawing, if accurate, and "as constructed", will be all I really need. Great find- thanks- I didn't know about that. The weld thickness is the variable and affects the size of the part, but there are some tolerances here.

I'm thinking that you'll find that 3mm will be too thick by twice, resulting in the brackets diverging outward, unless you use only one of them on one side, not ideal, but quite workable.

[mastreb]

That section of the MacGregor website has specifications for every part on the boat with the notable exception of the hull. I downloaded everything there and I've referred to the data numerous times while setting up my various mods and nefarious schemes. The information is fantastic for answering those "what size bolt?" questions before I go to West Marine on the way to the boat. Saves a lot of trips.

That data will become even more critical when the Tattoo 26 goes out of production and is replaced by a newer model and people have to start fabricating their own parts.

[1st Sail]

The rudder slop on my M was from the brackets spreading from use. If you add the shims what prevents the brackets from spreading further? Has anyone added the shims only to find the brackets continued to spread after a period of use?

[seahouse]

It's a good question 1st Sail.

My assessment says that the brackets can spread only if the bolt through which the rudder pivots has not been maintained tightly.

Since the rudders themselves are solid and incompressible in this area, it is mechanically impossible for the brackets to spread with the bolt tight. And the bracket outboard of the pivot bolt cannot spread because the section of the brackets inboard are solidly held against spreading by the welds.

The function of the spacers is to provide the needed dimension between the brackets so that; 1 - when the bolt is tightened the contact surfaces of the bracket and rudder are perfectly parallel; and 2 - they reduce friction and so allow the pivot bolt to be tightened up to a good degree that still allows the rudders to freely pivot with light hand pressure from the lines.

Washers outside the brackets should only be needed if the brackets have already been bent. I believe thay are not otherwise necessary if the bolt tightness is correct.

I think if you study the arrangement on the boat and assess the forces you will reach the same conclusion.

I believe some good photos of bent brackets will confirm this, but I haven't yet seen any...

- B.

[seahouse]

Also note that if you tighten the bolts without the spacers installed that I would predict that you will bend the brackets outward along a vertical bend line that crosses roughly through the pivot hole. And get circular scratch marks on the rudders that the outer edges of the bracket make when the rudders pivot. It will appear to force the brackets in as you tighten the bolt, but in actuality you are bending them (the outer part of them) outward, as you can confirm by releasing the bolt after you've done it.

That's because the brackets will be parallel only at a dimension that is 1/8" wider than what the rudder thickness is. Hence my two 1/16" spacers (or anything else - CDs) that must make up that difference.

Thought I had better predict what the photos will show, before I see them.

'sclear? ...(As one of my professors used to ask)

Maybe I haven't been clear???

[seahouse]

That section of the MacGregor website has specifications for every part on the boat with the notable exception of the hull. I downloaded everything there and I've referred to the data numerous times while setting up my various mods and nefarious schemes. The information is fantastic for answering those "what size bolt?" questions before I go to West Marine on the way to the boat. Saves a lot of trips.

That data will become even more critical when the Tattoo 26 goes out of production and is replaced by a newer model and people have to start fabricating their own parts.

Yeah Matt – I found out about the supplier's corner from you and checked it out, but I didn't go into it enough to see that amount of detail for a part drawing... that I can remember! It was through those files that I figured that the fixed ballast was sand. Thanx.

Turns out that the pdf drawing is not “as constructed”, at least not as it pertains to the radii either drawn to scale, or as labeled. A subsequent change might have been made and not updated on the print – that's common – seen it- been there before. But I followed the other dimensions, they should be accurate.

The accuracy of the rads is not important to their function anyway; purely cosmetic, I've estimated. So I'm working on them now....

[Ixneigh]

If it's not too late to get on the list, I'll get a set, since it will look nicer then the black plastic I have now
Ix

[innervations]

Nope. 3mm is too thick as Seahouse predicted. Now I am hunting around Perth to get 1.5 mm sheet of white HDPE.