Emergency Option

[chucktheskiffie]

I have a custom DC17'4.  Haven't had it out much lately but i'm starting to get it going.

One thing i need is a good emergency option to lock off the rudder if needed on the water.  I have had a couple of issues already and though they are fixed, it showed me that i needed to get a good preparation ready just in case it happened again.

Any ideas as to what i can carry with me and a method to lock it off if necessary? 

2 pics of the setup:

http://imgur.com/a/MnXjW

[PonoBill]

There are two easy ways to do it, wedge the rudder from the bottom, or lock it from the top. If you have the fabrication skills I'd make a tab that connects to your rudder T with a hole through it. You drill a hole in the board and glue in a stainless blind screw insert. I have some that insert like a pop rivet, but the end is closed, and once the rivet body is set you unscrew the tool and have a sealed, threaded hole. Make a pin that goes through the tab to screw in the insert, and presto, locked.

A simpler solution is either a plastic wedge to lock the rudder against the bottom of the board, or a strip of inner tube to wrap between the board and rudder to do the same thing. I finished a race once with a broken cable by wedging two quarters under the rudder, locking it to the board. Worked fine.

[Off-Shore]

+1 on the inner tube. I carry a length with me looped into my CamelBak hydration vest and it stays there whatever board I paddle.. Otherwise I will forget it the one time I use my F16

[Area 10]

Do you really need a rudder on a 16ft board? I prefer a fixed fin on my 16 and 17fters. Much more fun in our very steep messy short period conditions.

[chucktheskiffie]

Thanks for that.

About the inner-tube, do you just jam it in and wrap around the post between the board and the rudder?

[PonoBill]

Yup.

A10 -- you never NEED a rudder.

[Bean]

All this talk about foot steering makes me want one. But it seems totally unwarranted for the DW-Light runs that I do. 

Has anyone used the SIC FAST system?



Chuck, on your DC system, if you loosen the U-clamp will the rudder assembly slip out the bottom or is there a circlip (or other retainer) that holds it in place?  In any event it drives me nuts to not see any locktite or a nylock on that clamp.  And, what is that blue substance that appears to be covering one of the cable ends?

[PonoBill]

The FAST system is a thing of beauty, probably as far as the mechanical foot rudder needs to be developed.

I like rudders on 14's, but that's just me. The SIC 14 I borrowed to paddle in the PPG distance race had a rudder. So yeah, it wasn't really qualified as a 14--should have been scored as unlimited. But nobody cared in that mayhem. In theory, the rudder offered no advantage--no bumps to steer for, no offshore wind to counter. But I did I use it to get around the buoys without falling--something about half of the competitors didn't manage. What a mess.

[chucktheskiffie]

Chuck, on your DC system, if you loosen the U-clamp will the rudder assembly slip out the bottom or is there a circlip (or other retainer) that holds it in place?  In any event it drives me nuts to not see any locktite or a nylock on that clamp.  And, what is that blue substance that appears to be covering one of the cable ends?

Yes that U-clamp is the only thing holding it on.  I need to change things with this as i am really not happy with the setup.

The board itself is unreal and DC did a great job meeting my requirements.  But the steering system is causing me a heap of problems. 

The blue is the swage. Its on both cables (just hidden on the other side)

[PonoBill]

I would be looking at ways to keep that rudder from falling out. A circlip would work, as would a cross pin.
Doesn't have to be a stout pin or clip--just enough to prevent it from falling through.

[Bean]

It would seem to make more sense if the curved part of the U bolt saddle was installed directly on the shaft rather than the flat steering arm.  Also, at some point you might want to try it with the steering arm on the other side (front) of the shaft. (Provided there is room to take up the cable slack).