Nacra Rudder Rake

yurdle wrote:

when you release the pull down line it has a tendancy to recleat itself after you let it go, so if the rudder doesn't pop up the whole way it gets stuck half way up. Then I end up draging the rudders in the sand when I beach.

This happens to me as well. I don't have pivmatics, so I have to watch the rudders closely when coming in to shore. I've thought about doing away with the shock cord and using a second 'up' line that I can cleat, but haven't taken that jump yet. Maybe after another season.

It's technique and everything working. If your bungees are strong, when you release the hold down, continue holding for the brief second it takes for the rudder to fully raise. So easy a caveman . . .

Ok Philip... are you a caveman? do you work for geico?

I look a bit like a caveman... out of control beard and crazy hair. More like a wolfman though, hence the handle. 🙂

My bungees...well..everything on my rudder system is new or redone in some way. Every rivet, line, gudgeon, etc. The bungees basically balance the rudders when out of the water, they're fairly neutral. When in the water they pull them up as soon as the water nudges the rudders back. Of course if the water isn't flowing past quickly its not that critical to get the rudders up quickly anyway.

So, like I said, I can't just pop the line up, or it'll catch again, and without the pivmatics it'll jam if it hits the sand. I hold it up for about a second then throw the ball on the end of the line towards the rudders so it doesn't catch. I try to come in to shore sitting right by the leeward rudder with both daggers and the windward rudder all up.

Wolfman wrote: ! I also just bought some pure elastomer cord from APS and that is supposed to have about twice the return pull of shock cord and it doesn`t degrade. I will give it a try on the pop ups this summer!

D.

How did this cord work out I am rebuilding my rudders on a Nacra 5.5 and hate messing with them so if that cord last longer I would love to know. Also questions about the tiller connection upgrade kit. Right now the brackets that connect the tiller to the crossbar are bolted on and after time that bolt gets loose causing the crossbar to swivel or rotate up & down when I pull or push the hiking stick. Getting tired of the Nacra rudder system I miss my H16 rudder system!

so what is the best system on a 5.2 for my rudder to stay up when I am beaching, I agree with Dave that pull down recleats itself half way up.

The elastomer cord workes fine haven't had an issue and it is more durable than shock cord. I think that the tiller upgrade kit is pretty pricy although a lot of people swear by it. Try using a new stainless Nylock nut on your system, that is why I have on mine and it hasn't worked itself loose yet. I have had both the H16 and Nacra systems and in the end I prefer the Nacra. It has less parts, is dead simple and never accidentally unlocks itself.

Rob's advice above is good, hold the rudder line for a second so it doesn't recleat and throw the ball aft so it doesn't recleat. If you have the Pivmatics and it does recleat it isn're really an issue. You also have to remember the the shock cord doesn't hold the board in a locked up position, it just brings it 2/3 of the way up and the board bounces there and moves if it hits something. If you want a more positive locking system you can try this upgrade here:

but it is more fiddly than I like and more things to worry about as you are beaching.

D.

If you sail in the surf I would think the shockcord setup would be the best method since it self retracts and things can happen fast in the surf I do not want to be pulling up 2 rudders and making sure I seated the rope good enough in a cam cleat while trying not to get broached also you can use it when your heading thru the surf adding a little bit of rudder usage in the shallows to give some steering. Although shockcord wares out and is a hassle to replace thats why I was asking about the pure elastomer cord from APS.

i try to beach without using the pivomatics at all, hate the idea of smacking the rudder tips all the time and what might happen if they don't come up

releasing the hold lines while coming in was ok but then dragging the boat backwards up the steep foreshore was difficult with the rudders dragging in reverse

so added extra cleats and lines to hold the rudders up, works very well

they have next to no load so you only need the cheap plastic ones. but if you wanted you could buy alloy ones and use them for the hold down cleats. then your old hold downs could be the new hold ups

How does the return bungee system work. Sorry guys but agin I am in the dark. But the rudders are a pain in the butt on the beach.

Basically it just puts tension on the rudder so when you uncleat the downhaul it just pops up. Here is the page from the manual:

http://www.thebeachcats.com/index.php?module=pictures&g2_itemId=35268