Steering...rudders not parrallel

[Catigale]

I dont think its so important to have the rudders at the 'optimised' angle when you are turning. As long as the two rudders are on the same side of the center of action, they both serve to push the stern in the same direction, albeit perhaps with different amounts of force.

I would think its most important to get them straight ahead at the same time for the least drag at straight ahead.

How is this for a Proposed test...

On a calm, flat water day. USe GPS for speeds please.

Put motor on post for locked ahead position. Make 6 mph inland, 6 kts offshore. Head for a landmark some distance away to hold a constant bearing.

Put each rudder in separately and check for loss of speed when pointed to landmark. Record each number. They should be the same regardless of rudder alignment to first order.

Now put both rudders in and check to see if the losses add up to the sum of the two individual rudders.

If the sums and the last configuration are equal, I would guess you are aligned well enough for government work.

Now take the motor off the post, and see if you get the same number. If you dont, then the rudders and motor need alignment. In a battle between the motor and rudders, I dont know who wins at 6 kts. It would take 10 Crays working in parallel to model this and my network is busy right now, trying to find the next perfect number after 27

[baldbaby2000]

Two well proven boats with dual rudders are the Hobie 16 and Hobie 18. The Hobie 18 is easy to adjust; I don't remember much about the 16. Everyone I know always adjusted them to be parallel. I have one on my property in SD. Next time I'm up there I'll take some photos if it looks like the method is adaptable to the 26.

[Zoran]

For 1997 boats with old style aluminum bracket steering goes very easy out of alignment because rudder brackets will bent. Mine is off too and I know that because when I am motoring straight and pull out one of the rudders boat will turning immediately and not just a little (now I cannot remember which way). I will have to bend these brackets back one day, maybe this weekend if I have some time.

Zoran

[Joe 26M Time Warp]

I'd imagine the easy way to get the rudders parallel would be to stick a nice straight 2 X 4 by maybe 48" in the rudder yoke and use shims to snug them up. You could drill a hole for the rudder bolt and you could support the loose ends with lawn chairs or whatever. The rudder center to center distance is about 48" on my 2004, the distance at the end should be the same.
I remember renting those Katyak boats at Kensington Metro Park. I learned to sail there. All of the pivot bolts and connections were so pitifully weak and having no tools along, most of the time I had to live with very poorly aligned rudders.
"While your down there", sort of applies.

[Don T]

Hello:
My boat had the same problem. I have threaded aircraft gimbal joints at the rudder ends. I idle along with steering centered and disconnect each rudder. They center themselves to the water flow. I adjust the joints and reconnect them. Now both rudders are parrallel and in sync with the motor.

See my setup in the mod section
http://www.macgregorsailors.com/cgi-bin ... record=404

[Catigale]

Don - Elegant in its simplicity....thanks for sharing

[mtc]

Rerigged my steering with a handfull of parts from Lowes. Nylon washers for every movable joint, aligned all rods, shimmed rudder posts inboard with milk jug material cut into strips, torqued all bolts juuuusssst right!

Yin Yang went from manicial to responsive! She no longer wanders all over the place, except of course in a running sea when she tries to find her way.

Most noticible is the difference when under power. Here the Merc 60 no longer flops around carving a s swath across the bay. Now, she has a sense of grace.

Another tip is to keep the stern down. Remember the M has less control with the more bow in the water. Her stability comes more from the stern. With my trim, the difference is noticible.

But that's why we like these boats, so we can work on them, right?

Michael