Tony Niilus wrote: >> my wife found it tiring to use the pedals all the time, so I attached >> a tiller to the hikeboard and connected the tiller to the rudder yoke. >> >> Worked like treat, and when my wife needed more power she used feet >> and hands in conjuction. >> > > Other alternatives are: > 1) use a 20% (or so) balanced rudder blade > 2) if you are using an older Klepper rudder, remove the rivet that holds > the blade, reverse the blade and re-attach with a stainless steel bolt and > nylock nut. This makes the blade project forward a bit and gives it a > higher aspect. This method is described in Ralph Diaz' book "The Folding > Kayaker". > > 3) use line steering by attacing a line to the rudder control arm which > goes forward around the cockpit and back to the other rudder control arm. > The method is described on the Folbot.com User's Forum by someone called > Sailboy. When there do a search for "line steering". This allows either > passenger to control the rudder from anywhere in the kayak. The very first mod I did to the rudder was method # 1 (see above) and enlarging it, see: http://foldingkayaks.org/gallery/tord/rudder_down but careful examination this Sunday showed that I hadn't taken into the account the "rubber bulb" under the rudder hinge part that is fixed to the hull, somy rudder blade didn't move down as much as shown in the picture. That shall now be amended! Method # 3 was tried, too: http://foldingkayaks.org/gallery/Outboard/Hikeboard The white-ish rope is exactly such an arrangement - not to my wife's liking at all! Possibly with a better balanced rudder, as alex noted: "I think, his purpose was to provide hands-free steering (without using pedals either) while sailing solo a double folder GII rigged as a schooner. He's been toying with this for quite a while, and now all the system, including foil rudder, is balanced so well (according to him), that can maintain a set course without constant controlling the rudder line. I would believe this. He is also using Spinlock "power cleat" (works similar to cam-cleat) to control his aft mainsail. Perhaps this is possible too in areas with more or less steady winds." We'll soon see how the rudder works with a bigger cut-out :-)! Tord *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Tue Aug 03 2004 - 01:28:07 PDT
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