[Rhodes22-list] Tiller mayhem

[S/V Lark]

Stan.   Thanks.  I'll mail it to you tomorrow.   Phone willing, I'll run down
and pull the stump off  the rudder after work.   I noticed some light
crazing at the fracture point this winter, but assumed it was gelcoat
flexing.   You can stall on the loaner, in favor of Chris's idea.   I don't
think you can repair it, it broke where it narrows to fit in the cheeks of
the rudder housing.    Yesterday was a bit windy (10-20 plus gusts), but I
had the main furled so only one 2 was visible and the jib was furled so the
head was below the head of the furled main .   I only washed the rail once.  
I was beating and the boat was trying to round up in a gust when the tiller
broke.    I didn't particularly want to, and had some rudder angle.    Helm
pressure wasn't extreme, except one momentary odd push of the hiking stick
in my hand just before it split.    I corrected, looked down to see if a
sheet was caught on it, looked up, and a moment later the tiller was free.  
I did not hear it crack.  I did not touch bottom.   Waves were one foot or
less.  The rudder was definitely not partially up, but I will dive to see if
it extends forward beyond optimal?    Tamiko wasn't laughing at me this
time, she wasn't even there.  

Chris.   Brilliant on the wheel barrow handle.   Once its drilled and sealed
I'll stow it under the seat with the boat hook, for coastal hopping.  I
counted myself lucky it hadn't broken last month half way between Loraine
Port Huron.  I was thinking of using a 2x4 as a temporary, so I could sail
through the weekend even if its too windy to single hand the back up dinghy.  
Tamiko now has standards and will will only set foot on the Rhodes (unless I
get an Oyster).  In the interest of true confessions, the Buccaneer has had
a home made rudder for 15 years, white oak blade on aluminum cheeks with elm
shovel handle cut down as tiller and hiking stick.   It doesn't look like a
General Boats (or even Chrysler) product, but approximates class legal and
has worked well in all winds.   

Alex



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Alex Cole
S/V Lark
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