C26 Rudder ?; strange steering after reataching tiller

[briceburg]

Hello and happy to be on these boards! This winter I bought a C26 on Old Hickory Lake, TN. It has been a blast and I've been sailing her whenever the winds and I align -- often. FWIW; I'd describe the boat as in almost fair condition. No name, no trailer, no bow pulpit, leaky ports, worrisome toe rail, and who knows what lurks below the water line!

Anyway; she's an ongoing fixer-upper and my last time out the bolt securing the tiller to the rudder shaft sheared!

It appears to be original tiller, with the original cheeks, but was attached with a bolt and nut; with the bolt passing through a hole in the rudder shaft that was aligned with the hole in each tiller cheek. Fender washers were placed as spacers to fill the gap between cheek and shaft (about 6 on each side).

This doesn't seem original and I keep reading that there are rope lines to raise and lower the rudder. There are no lines on mine; perhaps discarded?

Anyway I replaced the bolt with a hardened one from an engine shop (should not shear again) and I notice the boat steers a little differently -- and seems to really want to head into the wind on a broad reach.

Is it possible that the rudder flipped 180 degrees? The shaft seems to telescope a bit and I had to pull it up to find the hole I passed the bolt through. Is it safe to try and rotate it another 180 degrees with the tiller on?


Also there is no "rudder collar" (the ring with the set screws, that sits below the tiller cheeks that I see in the manual). Is this to keep water from running down the shaft?

Many thanks,

~ Brice

[Chrysler20%26]

Well come, If you look in the Chrysler Sailors Forum Index, under rudder you can see what your rudder should look like. My C-26 likes to head into the wind. Some times I just let the boat steer itself. Enjoy your boat, an happy sailing

[EmergencyExit]

Welcome aboard ! You can get a good copy of the manual at
http://www.captainscottsailing.com/php/ ... ocList.php

and a diagram of the stock tiller setup is on page here
http://captainscottsailing.com/Chrysler ... nual12.jpg


And a pic of the assembly is here:
http://pwp.att.net/p/s/community.dll?ep ... 301349&ck=

The rudder tube has a slot for a locating woodruff key which matches a slot in the tiller head piece which goes over the tube and has a bolt front and rear to clamp the piece to the tube. That keyway aligns rudder to tiller, the front and back bolts squeeze the head tight to the tube.

The collar ring you are missing keeps the vertical slack out of the tiller (you would pull the tube up as far as it comes, then slide the ring down and tighten it. ) A piece of gray PVC with 3 drilled and tapped holes works fine.

Sounds like you have the side pieces (cheek) that attach the tiller, but are missing the inner part (head piece) that clamps to the steering tube, and the cheeks are attached by a hole in the tube. I'd be concerned that the tube would rip and split where the hole is - the original design was to clamp around the tube and not go thru it..

[Traveler]

Hey Briceburg,

Are you sure the rudder is down and not up? If up, you can see it under the stern and that will give you some noticeably different steering. You mentioned the 'up and down' lines, and I guess the 26 is the same as the 22, so if they are missing, maybe the rudder is always up and not allowing you to steer correctly. Just a thought. Regards, Jeff

[briceburg]

Hey thanks and glad to be here!

EE, Yes that makes sense. I'm completely missing the inner part that fits between cheeks and steering tube, and the PO improvised by passing a bolt through a hole in the steering tube and snugging it up with washers. I'll take some photos and post; perhaps my steering tube is also non original. Wish I had a trailer or lift so I could pull this out and check. Hopefully soon!

I'd like to go original if possible. Do you know if the inner part is available anywhere?

maybe the rudder is always up and not allowing you to steer correctly

I believe it's down and has been for years. An outboard hangs off the transom that it'd hit if it were up (assuming it swings to stern). Perhaps rotated 180 degrees... Is it safe to turn the tiller 180 to try and flip it? It seems to give resistance at 90 degrees and I don't want to over-do it.

[EmergencyExit]

Given the design of the rudder post and cheeks, I'm not sure you can turn it all the wall around. Cheeks are behind the post, and hull gets deeper in front of post. Rudder up in pic..



Other than broad reac, does it motor straight, sail sraight otherwise ?

I can sure sympathize with wishing you could haul out and look at things, our first couple years with EE was like that..

[briceburg]

Roger that. Thanks for the photo. The boat steers OK, especially while under power. It's likely me being sensitive to the maintenance performed.

Do you suggest I find the inner piece that cramps on the shaft, or live w/ the improvision? Next time I get to some clean water I'll dive in and ensure the rudder cheeks are oriented aft of the rudder/steering shaft.

Thanks!

~ Brice

[EmergencyExit]

Do you suggest I find the inner piece that cramps on the shaft, or live w/ the improvision?

Hard to say without seeing a picture of what you have now, but if its just a bolt thru the tube, and you had enough force to shear the bolt, and you upgraded to a harder bolt, then the next time could be the harder bolt rips the rudder tube instead of breaking..no source I know of for a replacement part other than another C26, you may may to look for a similar fitting online..

[briceburg]

EE,

Right on! That is funny. I never have thought of a bolt as a shearing woodruff key Will send a photo... but what do you think about trying to 3D print one out of a teflon like material? Are they plastic/PVC?

~ Brice