[Public-List] Tiller Head

[J Bergquist]

The reason that shafts are made with keyways is so that if you hit
something with enough force to shear the key, you shear the key
instead of breaking the shaft.

Go to a boat show and look at rudder stocks, and I challenge you to
find one that is through-bolted. Nobody makes them this way and there
is a reason for that. They always have keys and the reason is so that
if you hit something you shear the key instead of breaking the shaft.

Engine shaft couplings and propellers are made this way for the same
reason. Keys are easier and WAY cheaper to replace than shafts,
propellers, rudders, or other machinery.

Bottom line: it is much cheaper to replace a key than to replace a
shaft. In the case of our rudder stock, you can take the head off with
a wrench in the cockpit. Imagine how much work it would be to replace
a bent or broken rudder shaft. It would require a haul-out for
starters. Not to mention the fact that the rudder stock is an integral
part of the rudder itself, so it would be a real pain to get it
separated from the rudder blade, have a new one made, and re-install
it.

Do what you want, but for my money, I would see if you can fix the key
and/or head fitting. It's regrettable that you had a hard time getting
a new head from Edson, but that's nothing compared to what it would
take to replace a rudder stock.

A key will not guarantee you won't bend or break a shaft, but it
certainly is a cheap insurance policy.

That's my $0.02.

Kind regards,

J Bergquist

On Sun, Oct 11, 2009 at 10:50 AM, Jonathan Budington
<jon at globalprinting.com> wrote:
> Ed,
>
> This sounds like my problem  Did you have any trouble getting the head off after the key slipped?  Any advice on drilling that hole?  Sounds like a permanent fix.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Jon
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: public-list-bounces at lists.alberg30.org [mailto:public-list-bounces at lists.alberg30.org] On Behalf Of edward schroeder
> Sent: Sunday, October 11, 2009 10:26 AM
> To: Alberg 30 Public List -- open to all
> Subject: Re: [Public-List] Tiller Head
>
> On Emotional Rescue #303, I replaced the tiller head as it was also slipping. I discovered that the bronze key was not engaged sufficiently, or had abraded from a once-sufficient size, so that it did not engage the groove to take the shearing force.Also, the clamp on the aft side of the head did not grip sufficiently.
>
> However, when I purchased a new head from Edson, it too had the groove cut, not on center, so that it forced the tiller to be off-center. I sent two back to Edson before I received a straight head. Edson told me that they were cutting the grooves by hand and that "some could be slighly crooked". I was disappointed with there answer.
>
> I subsequently drilled a hole athwartship through the entire head and rudder post and inserted a 1/8 inch bolt and nut to take the shear force. Since then (5 years) we have had no trouble.
>
> Ed Schroeder
>
> --- On Sun, 10/11/09, Jonathan Budington <jon at globalprinting.com> wrote:
>
>
> From: Jonathan Budington <jon at globalprinting.com>
> Subject: [Public-List] Tiller Head
> To: "Alberg 30 Public List -- open to all" <public-list at lists.alberg30.org>
> Date: Sunday, October 11, 2009, 8:18 AM
>
>
> I was sailing last night - beautiful evening with about 12 knots of
> breeze.  We passed under the Bay Bridge, and we were hit by a 25 knot
> gust.  The boat wanted to head up, so I pushed down hard on the tiller.
> We reduced sail, but I noticed I was fighting to keep the boat on track.
> I realized that the to keep the boat on a straight course, I had to keep
> the tiller almost all the way over to the starboard side.  I made it
> back to Annapolis, but the last left turn into the slip was a real
> challenge.  I played with the tiller after we tied up; it seems to be in
> full control of the rudder, but way off center.  Could the head have
> slipped on the post?  Doesn't the post have a keyway to prevent this?
> Could it be something worse?
>
> Jon Budington
>
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