Tranquility Island

The first time out I broke the rudder. I was using the outboard and the screws pulled out when the prop blast hit the blade. Best to use the outboard for steering under power and the rudder under sail. Part of the problems was cheap Filipino plywood I guess. They call it Marine Grade but I'll bet it wouldn't pass a boiling test. 1/2 inch had 3 plies. I fixed it and tried again but the blade kept popping up and finally broke on the pivot bolt line. Not enough bungee rubber to keep it down.

I finally decided to follow Michalak's idea of weighting the blade with lead and letting it bounce over obstacles. It's held in the up position with a simple rope through a screweye. I didn't like the tiller set up either so I modified that to a push-pull system. Disaster! Rasing the control stick over my head while ducking under the boom with everthing banging into each other and my feet tangling in the mainsheet is an excercise in insanity. The leeboard was hard to control so I bought a nice piece of 3/4 marine ply and made a new one using the weight idea from the rudder. Push pull system is gone and I'm using a very short tiller with a rope and pully system. I have also added storage/flotation compartments both fore and aft. The boat looks much better with the additions.

On the following pages (links upper right) you will see pictures and comments on these most recent modifications to Sea Angel. I have had her out in the water with the new rudder. It works fine. The new steering system and leeboard were finished today, Feb 15th 2004, and are yet untried.

Feb, 28, 2004. Steering system works great and holds course hands off. Leeboard needs a light bungee and small control line but works great too. Much improved and the boat is easier to control and has a nice large uncluttered feel to it.