Rudder lines

[DLee]

Gearing up and organizing for some summer sailing today I was thinking about a discussion from many moons ago about rudder lines and whether the cables lines should be switched out to regular sailing lines.

I switched one of my hand tiller cables to regular line a while ago and it seems to work fine. But I still have regular cable for both my boats foot pedals and I'm thinking it might not be a terrible idea to try out some regular line for these. The cable does work really well though.

The question was that during a capsize it might be easy to get a foot tangled in the rudder lines, a line could be cut with the knife on your vest, the cable cannot. Then again, I've capsized a lot and have never come close to getting wrapped up in the lines. Well, I've gotten wrapped in many lines but never a rudder cable line.

I don't know, it was just something I thought about when I looked at my two hand tillers and one had harmless sailing line on it and the other a rusty, poky, cable (homemade version, not the nice stainless from Klepper or Long Haul).

Actually, now that I think about it, I have been using a long rod to hand steer on my AII (connected directly to the rudder yoke), and the sailing lines on the hand yoke of the MK1. There may be some stretch in the sailing line, but it's nothing you wouldn't naturally compensate for.

Writing this all out makes me think I'll just leave all the lines as they currently are. But I am curious.

What are you guys using?

d

[JohnSand]

I don't sail a folder, but I do sail a rigid double paddle canoe. She steers by hand, with a line that runs from a yoke on the rudder forward through blocks on either gunwale and back to the yoke. It's standard synthetic small braided line, and I've never had trouble with it.

[DLee]

Thanks John.

So do you just pull the line somewhere along it's run to adjust the steering?

Where does the line cross the cockpit of the boat?

d

[JohnSand]

Yes, you just hold it with one hand and push or pull. My boat is completely open, but the line crosses pretty far forward, just a bit aft of the mast thwart.

[DLee]

Very cool. Thanks John.

I went to the National Heritage Wooden Canoe meet a few times and loved the simplicity of most of the sailing canoes. I'm not sure I ever saw that steering system though, although I can picture it quite clearly.

d

[kdwalmsley]

The hand tiller line runs forward, around the coaming and through small blocks. It is the line with the white balls on it. The rudder pedal cables remain attached to the rudder yoke.

[JohnSand]

My rig is a BSD Classic (Balogh Sail Designs). There may be pictures on their website too.

[DLee]

wow, love that picture. That line is a great idea. Looks like it comes from Mark all the way? Or was it your design?

kdwalmsley, do you ever use the sliding hike-out seat?

John, you have the classic canoe sail?

d

[JohnSand]

I do use the Classic Canoe Sail. The boat was never designed to sail, so it takes some thought and practice, but it's easy to beach launch almost anywhere.

[kdwalmsley]

Dlee,

Totally Mark’s ideas and work. He is a very clever fellow. I hesitate to hike out due to the torque it would place on the akas and masts. The pictured rig actually bent the akas and damaged the #4 rib with Mark and his daughter pushing it hard. I’m a big guy, maybe 100 lbs. more than Mark, and I would get very enthusiastic with hiking out while sailboat racing. I’m sure I could damage things quite quickly. Sails on a kayak are for me a relaxing way to paddle less and get farther on the mini-adventures.

[DLee]

kdwalmsley,

Mark, pushing the envelope! Love to hear that. I'll have to mention that when I call him in a couple days. ha.

Great looking rig. Must be a job to break down and set up.

d