[Doug Odgers]

Is there a drawing showing how  the two ‘hauling’ wires are threaded and connect to the rudder of an Atalanta ?

Topic

[Dominic Dobson]

Doug,

from memory the wires pas up through rudder head over a couple of pulleys, the down haul sits in a groove on the leading edge of the blade,  they then enter hull passing over 2 metal pieces that look like cotton reels then pasing through a couple of turning blocks (mounted on hog?) upto another couple of blocks top of stern which allow you to lead them forward under deckhead to emerge through cockpit bulkhead. However I never found the system to work well due to friction, perhaps this could be helped by thinning the rudder blade where it enters the stock slightly something I never bothered with as I didn’t need to adjust the blade once it was down. When you fit the blade make sure it’s the right way round as if not you’ll have a very heavy helm also ensure it’s fully down when sailing for the same reason.

Dom

[Doug Odgers]

Thanks Dom for excellent advice. Doug

[Mike Dixon]

Hi Doug,

There probably is a drawing somewhere, but previous owners seem to have spent the intervening years ‘improving’ the arrangements.  Dom is on the money as usual – minimise the friction loss at all costs.  Always helps as well if the rudder blade is aligned fore and aft before heaving up and down.

Mike

[AOA]

Hi

Relevant drawings is C24865 – Atalanta 26 Arrangement of rudder uphaul and downhaul.

Friction is the enemy. On Helene the wires exit through the transom over a bolt. The bolt has lots of spacers on and importantly two sheaves. The wires had to be in the sheaves. If either the uphill or downhaul are allowed to go completely slack during raising or lowering the wires could jump off. You must keep light pressure on the one you are not pulling. Shockcord can be your friend here…

Cheers
Nick

[Doug Odgers]

Thanks Nick,  C24865 did the trick.

New Barton blocks just arrived.

[Author]

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