hi
i was recently pricing up new tracks and the numbers were getting large when it occured to me that i didnt nesacarily need tracks at all as i have seen some non freedom ketches with a sheet that comes from one side of the coachroof through a block on the boom end down to a block on the opposite side of the coachroof and aft to a winch.
i found a nice stand up block at the local second hand chandlery for a good price so that should do the main
i never use the adjustment facility of a track for the main as the boom end shouldent come further inboard than the coachroof anyway so this should work
the mizzen has a nice 4:1/16:1 harken system which i like as im not particularly strong so it probably needs to be on a car so il probably get a big boat windward sheeting car system for that. if i need the emergency tiller id have to rig a sheet between the mooring cleats as per the main which wouldnt be much trouble so il stick with a track as i do use it on the centreline so it probably needs to be a track however if i could get something managable i would be able to steer with the tiller but i cant think of anything better than what ive got.
has anyone done anything similar im not a fan of tracks as they are expensive and dangerous but sometimes are unavoidable.
“Castaway” came with tracks on both main and mizzen. I would definitely replace them with the same if they broke, especially since I rigged the main traveller to be adjusted from the cockpit. (Knee deep in string off that part of the coast!)
If you need the emergency tiller, you will be using the cleats to rig tackles to control it, I suspect. There is a big mechanical advantage in the wheel steering mechanism, and weather helm from that unbalanced rudder can be quite substantial.
the emergency tiller kusi came with was made of steel pipe and was to short and wouldnt have lasted an hours use and left rusty marks all over the place. im replacing it.however if i needed to steer the boat for long the trim tab tiller would hopefuly do the job.
the number of boats that are caught out with rudder failures every arc rally that are of designs which are popular and dont have a history of trouble show how lots of use in heavy going can take its toll
ive replaced all the bearings and carry a spare lower bearing and the old top bearing just in case
Castaway’s tiller is an all stainless steel job, with lugs welded onto the end, presumably for the tackles I proposed. Touch wood, I’ve only ever used it as a way of steering the boat under power, when I had removed the wheel to replace the top bearing in the pedestal. Was it difficult to remove the rudder? Where did you get the new rudder bearings from? Ours need to be replaced, but the rudder has survived 90,000 miles and several Atlantic crossings, plus a nasty grounding last summer.
roger of fusion in lymington made them i kept the old top one and had two lower ones made so i have a spare set in case i need to replace them again ifyou can be sure they are identical im sure he could make a set.
phil
removing the rudder is a doddle if out of the water.
first undoo the drag link and push clear of the arm.
then set up the mizzensheet on a piece of spectra line led through the top bearing gap and set up a halyard forward and the runners so the mast dosent bounce then take the weight of the rudder on the mizzen sheet and make off.
undo the 4 bolts securing the top bearing , they are tapped into a plate in the transom and then lift the rudder out of the bottom bearing cup then and only then , lower the rudder to the ground with the sheet. a helping hand to guide the rudder down is useful but by no means essential if you are able to lead the end of the sheet down so you can guide and ease.
when reassembling ensure all bolts are a4 ss my ones wernt to start with so i changed them and use copperslip grease on all threads to prevent galling seizing and sheared off bolts.
phil
About your sheeting arrangements: your solution for the main sheet sounds good and workable, indeed you don’t need to sheet the main too close to the centerline. Mind you that the main is hard to trim if you don’t have the purchase so you will need a winch. However you want to sheet the mizzen on the centerline for maximum pointing. To do that, I don’t see other options than using a track and pulling the car to windward, halfway if you want to keep the leech closed, all the way to windward with less sheet tension to open the leech.