This blog documents the modifications necessary to get seaworthy (warts and all), then the adventures (hopefully) on board our Trailer Sailer 6.1 metre Jarcat6 Catamaran, Kismet.

Tuesday 4 December 2018

Stronger Tiller Pivot

The tiller pivot on Kismet is rather weak. The only pivot is a rudder pintle bracket with an 8mm bolt going through the tiller then the bracket. The top of the bolt is unsupported.

On William's (son) say so I have made a timber fitting the same shape as the lower one. This will be epoxied to the transom 47mm above the original (lower) one. We will then fit another rudder pintle on the new piece of timber (after painting etc.) - then use a longer bolt.

In order to ensure I glue it on in the correct place I used a few pieces of scrap wood to get the alignment right. As usual the existing support timber ISN'T ON STRAIGHT. So I've lifted the right hand side of the new piece about 2mm as a fudge. Not enough to notice that it's not parallel to the other one, and not enough to notice that it's not parallel with the top of the transom (just don't look too hard).

The paintbrush handle is the right size to wedge the new support onto the transom when I epoxy it.
I've put the pivot bolt back in temporarily to support my "paintbrush clamp".


I've since replaced the piece of masking tape I tore while sanding back the paint.

These pictures will help remind me how I am going to clamp it - hopefully when I do the chainplate timber tomorrow.

This is how I left it today.

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