[Alberg30] Re: tiller /rudder stock connection (fwd)

[newmant at pipeline.com]

-------- Forwarded message --------
Date: Thu, 12 Sep 2002 18:31:26 -0400
From: newmant at pipeline.com
Reply-to: newmant at pipeline.com
To: public-list-request at alberg30.org
Subject: Re: tiller /rudder stock connection 
 
I have hull #176 which I bought 6 years old in 1971. 

The discussions re rudder stock tiller connection, watertank, and prop pitch
and dia have been interesting. I add my 2 cents.



With regard to the tiller / rudder connection I believe the fitting on my boat
is chromed bronze. It shows absolutely no signs of the pitting that normally
affects aluminum after a few seasons in the salt. The problem I have
experienced is that there is play in the hinge at the point where the tiller
fitting joins the hub on top of the rudder stock. I had a bronze tube spacer,
through which the hinge bolt could pass, inserted to keep the "ears" on the
back of the hub from compressing but it didn't have much effect. I have an
Autohelm 800 which works a lot harder because of the play. I have epoxyed a
penny to the face of the hub so that when the tiller is lowered into normal
position it becomes tight. It seems to reduce the play significantly and
raises the tiller to a level even with the Autohelm arm. I am interested in
better solutions to the problem. Off wind sailing with an tiller Autohelm is a
non starter unless the seas are nearly non existent or you get rid of the
main.





With regard to the prop 13 x 7 I have the same experience with an original
atomic 4. It won't go over about 1700 and its doing hull speed at that RPM. I
had the carburator cleaned for the 1st time in 35 years and it now runs and
transitions well between an idle and the low rpm cruising speed. I believe the
low rpm full load operating speed makes the main jet much more critical to be
crud free.



I put in a 4" inspection port in the water tank right under the small cushion
between the v berths almost immediately after I bought the boat and haven't
really bothered with cleaning ou the tank for the past 10 years. I drain it
into the blige in the fall by disconnecting the line at the pump and letting
it drop into the bilge. there may be a gallon or two left over but the shape
of the tank prevents any harm when it freezes. I used to use anti freze but
the purging process was so protracted that I gave up at the same time I
stopped cleaning. I don't know why but there has been no algae or residue
problem 



I have read with interest the discussion of the "deck beam". I am not clear
but assume this refers to the laminated structural beam supporting the mast
step. I haven't noticed any change in mine since I bought the boat over 30
years ago. When I bought it there was a jagged saw tooth crack in the
fiberglass mat flashing running from the starboard side to about the center
right under the mast. There was no sign this affected any thing but the
flashing though it obviously indicated some shifting in the deck /beam joint
following fabrication. 



It seems that every one of the bulkhead -deck and hull joints was finished or
flashed wifh some sort of material that didn't adhere to the plastic laminated
bulkhead material. there's no crack anywhere at the actual joint between the
bulkhead and the hull or deck but right where the flashing feathers into the
bulkhead and there is a paint border that overlaps making it appear that the
boat is falling apart. If anyone has developed a simple solution for this I
would like to hear it. For a while I tried contact cement but that seems to
have little adhesion to the bulkhead material as well. 



Ted Newman hull #176

 





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