I am about to start work on the steering hookup. I do not want to have u-bolts protruding from the lower rubrail, so I am looking for options. I like the modification by T. Nelson Surbrook that has been posted before but not the price of 5 pulleys. I was wondering about simply using the blocks of wood in the transom just like used in Surbrook's model, but instead hook the steering up just like in the plans. In other words: why couldn't you simply use a U bolt through the installed wood blocks (inside the transom and not protuding from the sides) with a turnbuckle on each side to take up the slack when needed. This way uses two pulleys instead of five.
This would work, wouldn't it? Is there some advantage to the method described by Surbrook?
Thanks in advance,
Clint
I used his system for my steering as well but I used just ordinary hardware store pulleys from Ace. They work just fine and didn't cost a lot. I like the way it feels and responds. It's as smooth as can be and haven't had any problems with it so far.
That will work; however, I had a piece of ply fail and shear away along a glue line during during an accidental gybe made by a new helmsman. I remade ny pully attachments and trough bolted them with carrage bolts through the lower rub rail. This is on a Vac by the way.
Check out Phil Gowen's Aloha steering system instead, it is far simpler and less problematic. Fewer parts and if you really think it out T. Nelson's system is only working on the slack created in the system. When you move the wheel side to side you are simply tightening against a fixed point on either end. To work at its best it needs to be a closed loop not trying to work against a fixed line.
Less cost and less parts and infinitely easier to do too.
Here is the link to the drawing for Phil Gowen's Steering.
http://www.pragdata.com/philboat/PlanSteer.html
You can use hardware store blocks and a single turnbuckle, they don't need to be expensive. You can also use hardware store line, just stretch it by hanging something heavy from an overhead something to stretch the line first.
Good smooth operating steering has a lot to do with geometry of the block locations in relation to the tiller. You will also only need about 30 degrees of swing to either side of center on the tiller. Any more and the rudder will drag and cause stalling. Makes tacking more difficult.