Kurt Hughes Daycharter 36

Well, after looking at it again I am convinced that the bar all the way across the boat that far back and that close to the water simply won't do. So I cut it again, lengthened the two pieces a bit and hooked it all back up like it was, EXCept I left the tiller heads flipped backwards. The aluminum tubes now barely clear the sugar scoops over the top, but I think I can fix it so they won't scrub.

I found also that the yoke arrangement won't work like this because there isn't enough clearance inside the length of the yokes for the tiller heads to clear when turning, so I simply will substitute an eye for the yoke- and problem solved. In addition, that will make it possible to stack some nylon washers on top of the tiller heads and actually raise the height of the assembly so it will clear the sugar scoop/sheer without scrubbing.

Now it kicks up all the way so i can pin it up when at rest, and when it kicks underway, I still should have some steerage. I also now have some leverage so i can add a bungee to help keep it down, even after the dowel "fuse" has broken.

The last problem now is that the tiller works backwards in this config., so I must do some extra reeving on the harken track to make the thing pull the car in the right direction. I can't live with backwards steering with a tiller.

I think it will work, and be smoother, stronger and safer. That is the goal anyway. I am not ready to scrap it all and go with hydraulic or steering cables. If this dos 'nt work out then I will call the designer and get him to draw up something from scratch. It is beyond my ability.

I will post some pics next week when I get it all hooked back up.

 

Sounds good. Glad you got it sorted out.

 

Actually, no.
it dosent kick up all the way, so that I can clear the blades from the water , without unhooking the bar. I mis-spoke.

A great feature of kick ups is that you can pull them out of the water to slow down corrosion and growth. Mine won't do that without unhooking them at the tiller heads, because the length of the bars is fixed, but the distance changes when they are kicked up. This will cause the rudder to turn when they are coming up out of the water, but they still jam before you can get them all the way up. For purposes of kicking up when grounding, however, they don't really need to kick that high, so they work fine for that- protection at grounding or hitting a submerged object.

So now i will have to rig up some type of quick connect for when I want to bring them all the way up out of the drink and pin them up. I can't figure out any other way to do it. Extra work. I guess I should be thankful for what i do have.

Another note, re the extra reeving in order to make the thing respond to the tiller the same way as before flipping the tiller heads backwards: Not necessary. I just by passed the harken track and car all together. Attached a spectra line w/ turnbuckle to the aluminum tubes with a rolling hitch and ran it direct to the tiller arm underneath the helm.

It all works OK so far. The overall angle of turn for both rudders is just barely adequate. I can't tell if the ackerman angles are doing their stuff or not. And Maybe i am expecting too much out of it. In the tight turns in the narrow creeks in a beam wind I have to use the engine reverse gears to stay in the ditch. No different from a motor yacht really. After all she is 22-1/2 feet wide. I may put a very slight bend in the connecting tubes to help them clear the sheer where they are jamming- limiting the turn angle I think. Maybe that will help.

Each thing I add to the superstructure has a noticeable effect on windage. I am about done with the stanchions. The boat is a heck of a lot safer at the expense of her sleeknecisity and good looks.

Hope this may help somebody with similar problems.

 

Hey Charly!
I've always heard that catamarans, like a semi, take 40 acres to turn. Missed tacks (is this where the word 'mistake' comes from?) are common and when the bows just can't quite make it through the wind, the turns are usually completed with the helm thrown over to the opposite side when the boat starts going backward. That swings the stern around to aim the bow where the bow doesn't want to go.

I guess you have it back in the area now?

 

Hey Sam! Good to know you are still around.

All in all The boat carries herself really well I think. Its all about momentum and smooth execution when tacking. I am still learning. I haven't yet been able to have enough sea room to drop the daggers all the way down... All my test sails have been in the Hampton River, and there is little time to fool with them on each tack, so I just have them both set drawing a few feet.

I am working on the board control issue next. Now that I have the stanchions on, I can rig up a way to pin them to the lifelines up out of the water when not in use. I may have an issue keeping them down once they are set, I don't know yet since I haven't tried it. There is plenty of water in St Simons Sound, I am going to try and make it down there next weekend. Maybe you can come down and go out with us?

 

Charley, I just viewed a video on youtube on a Shuttleworth kickup rudder design. It looks similar to what you have with the hinge point higher. Here is the link.https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=138&v=IBoMJFrZj4w

 

Thanks for that Zebra. That is a sweet looking boat.

 

It's too late to go back and edit.

To be fair to the designer, the cylinder mould process makes drawing in exact dimensions impossible for things like rudder kick up pivot points.

If you do a cylinder mould hull with the kick up system as shown on the plans, it is inevitable that there will be some tweaking until you get it right. There is a time cost here. TANSTAAFL. On my latest test run I had the best response so far. I went to a 3/8 inch pin at the tiller head (I am using a bolt with a lock nut) that passes through a 3/8 rod end on a threaded rod embedded in the ends of the aluminum connectors.

To get the right height above the sheer, so the connector clears it, I added a few spacer washers made from a plastic cutting board. The action is smoother, and the boat turns better. Soon i will be ready for the "big water"

Dropped my camera overboard. More pics when I get a new one.

 

Sorry about reviving an older thread - but I did a quick read through and have learned a few things. My question that you might have already answered was what you used for rudder stock? Source? I'm repairing a very damaged cat with bent rudders so need to rebuild them. Kurt said he would get me some new info on them so I'm probably good - but curious what you used. thx, Jim

 

Hi Jim,
Good to hear from you. Your build log was a real inspiration to me.

I got my rudder stock from online metals- schedule 80, 316 stainless pipe. I prepped it and fixed the rudder blades per Kurts instructions. So far I have had no problems. I hope you will post details of your rebuild! Good luck

 

Thanks.

I was thinking I would start a thread on the repairs. It would be good to get input as there's lots I don't know about - and it looks like people here are not shy of jumping in. (I just joined before my first post to you).

I read with interest the discussion of kickup rudders in your thread and how you solved it. I don't have the steps transom so not sure how I would accommodate steering with a rudder kicked, but food for thought.

If anyone is interested in the history and building of my boat it is here in pictures:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jdory/sets/72157625973914417

The unmaintained building log is here:
http://www.dorydesign.com/boat.html

 

update

Yesterday we moved the boat around to a local marina for hurricane season. After a much needed bath I took a few pictures.

The paint job is holding up OK, I guess, but there is some chalkiness in places. It rubs off on your hands and clothes. (system three) Anyone have a recommendation? Star brite?

Cockpit table is ready for Thanksgiving buffet. It is just a sheet of pink foam with a layer of cheap 5mm ply on top, some thin cloth, and saturated with "natures perfect material". held down to a ledger with a couple of those nylon toilet seat bolts

daggerboards are just pinned up with some 1/2 inch fiberglass rod. I haven't messed with them much yet. So far when we go out sailing, I have been too busy tending to everything else. Yesterday we tucked in a reef for the first time. A real milestone learning experience. Don't forget to hook the new tack to the reefing hook.

Isolation bulkheads have not been tested. Hopefully never will be. They make me feel better though. Made of two inch foam with two layers of 20 oz biax each side. bolts go through to cedar boards that clamp it to the bulkhead. weather strip for gasket.

hand washing sink is made of a stainless mixing bowl from target. 1/4 copper for the spout hooked to a plastic tube with a primer bulb for the foot pump.

Solar panel makes a good windshield. Ill build a proper dodger when i can afford it.

Still don't have a good take on speed. I can't afford gps yet and haven't timed her good and proper. I don't have clue really. She goes much faster than motoring thats for sure and she motors 6mph. And Ive been pulling a 12 foot dingy around.

Anyway, all in all I love the boat. I am still not satisfied with the steering, but am getting by ok with reversed tiller heads, and a double block arrangement to a harken car on a thwartship track mounted on the aft beam. Eventually I may go to hydraulic, but that is off the radar for now.

I am building a website, to be called LOGBOOK OF THE SPIRIT OF ST SIMONS. It is not up yet, but I will continue to gabble on about the boat there, along with more general interest topics thrown in- anything to do with the boat or the people and places associated with it. It will be here: charlysboat.com

 

It's looking good Charly! The pictures don't convey the heat and humidity, but that will be done soon. I'd contact West System and see what they say about the chalking paint, see if they have any remedies. You can get free speedometer apps for your phone that will work for driving, biking or walking/running etc that read in kph, mph or knots. They have other features with them like compass and who knows what else. I probably won't get around until Thanksgiving or later, I have to go work a bit. Take care.

 

I love seeing the pictures - helps me with ideas for my own. Love the low tech sink plumbing - genius. Also interested in seeing what you finally come up with for steering. I'm having to decide fairly soon what I'm going to do - in case I want to build in a tiller or something in the aft box beam. It's busted open so will be able to easily work there if needed. Was thinking your track/car system would work, but perhaps it isn't the best.

 

James what did you have for steering before?