Wednesday, July 11, 2007


Ok, now I've got a tent and am ready to go camping. But, I want to try some sailing along the way. In order to make the sailing just a bit easier I want to modify my hand-line-rudder-system. What I had currently been using was the simple line around the cockpit that went to each side of the rudder. There are two areas in which this needs immediate improving. One area is the strength required to hold course when the wind is kicking butt. Have any of you other paddlers had to "step" on the rudder peddle with everything you had in order keep from getting twisted off course? Well it takes a lot on the arms when you are trying to still paddle. The other area I'm currently looking at is the sensitivity of movement. At times, I want to make a minor adjustment to my course and the slightest movement on the side line is too much, causing me to re-adjust, adjust, re-adjust a number of times. My solution I hope is pulleys. I'm starting with a 3 to 1 ratio; allowing me to move the line three times further for the same effect on the rudder. This should also reduce the required force to a third. I may have to go to a 2 to 1 ratio if the required moving distance is too exaggerated but with on-ground trials I think that the 3 to 1 ratio will work.