Having just re-read ‘East Coast Passage’ by Roger Barnes of Baggywrinkle 12 foot Tideway fame I show a sketch of my solution. This has been used on several boats. For want of a better description I call it a mechanical uphaul/downhaul. Instead of ‘bungee’ rubber holding the blade down you have a definite contact with the blade all the time. In essence you create a fixed rudder and without getting a wet hand and arm. The only shortcoming is, you must cast off before getting in to shallow water — no hardship as this becomes second nature! By using a small open cam cleat on one side of the tiller you merely pull on the Terylene downhaul and the rudder blade is free to rise up when it touches. Use a closed small cam cleat for your uphaul on the other side of the tiller. This makes it captive and to hand all the time. A deluxe version would have plastic balls threaded on the Terylene making use much easier on the hands. The blade needs to be detached, put in a vice to have the groove filed in the curved top; this is important to avoid a possible jam up.

Materials required are:

2 metres of 5 mm polyester 2 cleats and screws 1” diameter sheave wheel Brass rod for axle of sheave ¼” round file Long series ¼” drill Copper nails 1” Hand drill Chisel and mallet

Enjoy yourself, take your time, a good job will last for ever and take a lot of grief out of your coming and going.

Personally I jab my metal rudder down with a tiny broom known on Gannet as ‘the little scrubber’ — which is another story.

Sheave wheels, axles and balls are obtainable from Jack Holt Ltd, Putney. Long series drill — scrounge from friend.

When complete put the whole rig in a vice and have a dummy run. Tune it 100% before using on the water as the rudder is very important — good sailing always.