Rudder cleat

L

laser174265

New Member
Hey guys,
I have rescently purchased a carbon fiber tiller, and I seems like the line on the rudder will want to slip out of the cleat on the tiller.
Does anyone have this problem, as I have not been able to test do to Ice, and wanted to make sure it will work before I use it in Miami next month.
Thanks in advance
TYler
 
You didn't mention which tiller, all I can relate is my setup, which is an Acme carbon tiller with their stock cleat. I have a 2002 rudder with the vanguard supplied downhaul line. It holds fine in the cleat. You should be able to check if yours is going to hold in the comfort of your dwelling, as long as you have the rudder and tiller.

However, the following helps reduce the amount of work the cleat actually has to do (and ensures your rudder stays fully down even in screaming reaches)

1. Tighten up the rudder pivot bolt so that you have to push the rudder down by hand, if you can pull it down with the downhaul, the bolt is too loose.

2. Set up a 2-1 purchase in the line, in between the rudder head and the cleat, using the cleat fairlead as the other turning point.
 
Some sailors suggest attaching the tiller to the rudder and getting the line as tight as possible before tying it permanently. I do not do this as I disagree with it but some people swear by it....
 
i had an acme tiller to and i sell it because of that problem its impossible to mantain the rudder down
 
I dont have a cleat (i think its illegal though so beware...) what I do is I have a loop on the side of the tiller and a loop in the rudder line. I thread the tail through the loop on the tiller, then the loop on the line making a purchase system, you can then tie it off back at the loop on the tiller nice 'n' tight!

I suppose that you could use a cleat in the same way as long as theres a point on the cleat you can use to rig a purchase system.

As far as I know there isnt a cleat that works well for the laser, you just have to tye the line around the tiller jsut after the cleat to give a little more resistance so it doesnt slip.
 
On my tiller tie-down line I have a "cord-lock." One of those little doohickies that has a spring (stainless spring, preferrably) and a button you press to slide it to hold a jacket cord, tent line, or stuff sack. Know what I mean?

I beachlaunch all the time, so I just pull the line to get the rudder down, and set the cord-lock on the line just at the tiller cleat. No tying required, and if you hit something - jellyfish, or the beach when you come in - it will release without breaking anything. No knots, no trouble... and it stays down in all sailing conditions.

Dennis Olson
Tomales Bay, CA
 
if you have your rudder tight enough it should take a little more than just pulling the cord to get the rudder down, I have mine tight enough so you have to actualy push it down with your foot. The rudder cord is really only a "safety" (as it can come up after long periods of sailing) and to keep the tiller itself in.
 
The rudder bolt should be tight. Replace the plastic bushing with a wider diameter bolt with nylon lock nut and washers each side.
 
I put an Open sided clamcleat on my carbon fiber tiller (APS # C217Mk2) that enables me to quickly put a purchase around it and go back through a bowline that I tied in the rudder downhaul between the rudder head and cleat and then come forward to secure it in the Clam teeth. Peter Seidenberg uses the APS# C236 design. I made my selection after looking at his set up because I thought mine was easier to take apart when de-rigging. He however is a much better sailor than I can ever dream of being
 
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