Rudder up and downhaul

[Chumpy36]

Howdy,
Could people give me some pics of your rudder downhaul and uphaul setups? I'm trying to set mine up right now.
Thanks!

[LordElsinore]

You've got an "S", right? Which may differ from the and boats, I'm not sure. I'm not near my right now, but I've got stern rail seats so my rudder lines look like this picture from the BWY site:



There's a block under the stern seat that takes the line to the top edge of the rudder blade near the bottom and a line coming out the bottom edge of the rudder blade that goes back up through the boat to complete the loop. There's a cleat near that block where you tie off the line either to hold the rudder up or to hold it down, depending on which way you've pulled the looped line. In that photo you can also see the eyelet below the block where the stock rudder line passes through. It's not used with the stern seat option since the block gets added instead.

Here's a random side view of somebody's rudders so you can see the lines on the top edge and bottom edge of the rudder.



I'm saying "top" and "bottom" from the perspective of someone looking back/down from the rudder seat at rudder that is being raised or lowered, if that makes sense

[Jimmyt]

You’ve probably checked the manual already, but if not:

https://macgregorsailors.com/resources/ ... Manual.pdf




Also, Sumner documented his mods in detail. You may be able to find some help/inspiration there.

https://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumne ... ing-1.html

[Gotro]

I have a year 95 one of the fist 100 hulls . I really like the set up although the rudders need replacing and it pricey. Heres how they are set up now.

[Gotro]

The jam cleat shown works to release the line when it hits shallow water or objects come in contact. Jim brown taught me this in one of his videos. Simply drill out the bottom of the cleat just the size of the rope’s diameter, when the rudder hits the bottom line is pulled into jam cleat bottoming out and releasing the line. Very simple and inexpensive.

[Gotro]

Here’s a photo of the jam cleat from the top .

[Chumpy36]

I guess i'm still al ittle confused by the stock hold down (Which I still have, just not attached). You can bolt the rudder in the down position if you want, this will keep it from coming up at speed I suppose but also carries the danger of wacking obstacles.

But how does the stock hold down work? Is it supposed to keep it down just like a bolt through the rudder holder? Where does it attach on the top end? How does one use it?

Thanks

[NiceAft]

You never want to bolt the rudders in the down position. If you hit something, that’s a good way to damage whatever the weakest link is.

Bolt the rudders in the upright position for trailering. Some here (as you’ve seen) have come up with ingenious methods to back up the stainless steel 7/16 bolt that keeps the rudder up.

I have never used anything but the SS bolt and the securing the line for hoisting rudders.

[Jimmyt]

I guess i'm still al ittle confused by the stock hold down (Which I still have, just not attached). ..

But how does the stock hold down work? Is it supposed to keep it down just like a bolt through the rudder holder? Where does it attach on the top end? How does one use it?

Thanks

Can you take some pics of your rudder assembly so we can walk you through it?

It’s a fairly simple system. I just don’t have one here to use as an example.

[Chumpy36]

Some of the confusion may be that I have a 26S and I didn’t specify that. I’m going up to the lake today to clean the boat, etc. so I’ll take some pictures.

[Chumpy36]

Here are some pics. I thought I had some of the bottom of the castle and rudder but the aircraft cable just comes out the bottom to attach to the rudder. Do I attach a line to the aircraft cable loop at the top and then use a cleat that will allow the line to pop off if it hits something? Anything else I'm missing?

thx

[Jimmyt]

Here are some pics. I thought I had some of the bottom of the castle and rudder but the aircraft cable just comes out the bottom to attach to the rudder. Do I attach a line to the aircraft cable loop at the top and then use a cleat that will allow the line to pop off if it hits something? Anything else I'm missing?

Yes. The downhaul connects to the cable which runs around the back of the tiller and is cleated on top of the tiller -often with a release cleat.

There is also an uphaul line to raise the rudder, and can be cleated at the tiller as well.




Red line is the downhaul and green line is the uphaul. Locate them where they are convenient to you. Also, a smooth groove at the back of the tiller, or grooved piece of composite to ease the turn of the downhaul cable would be a good idea.

[Chumpy36]

Got it. Thanks!

J

[Newell]

Got it. Thanks!

Following thread with same question for a 91S.

What was the original hold down configuration from the factory? My boat (lent on a permant basis to daughter) has the cable inside the rudder pipe and no other fittings?