claymore
Well-known member
My 30ft Long Keeled Motorsailer has hydraulic steering. I've noticed that from time to time, having reversed off a pontoon, there's a minor struggle to get the steering to respond when I apply the other lock. I've narrowed this down to a few causes and wondered whether anyone else has had a similar experience. I'm thinking either I have an airlock, there is a insufficient pressure from the ram - say if it undersized, or the geometry - the way it aligns with the rudder is wrong. It all works fine going forward, perhaps there is a little play but generally OK. The pressure on the rudderblade generated by 6 or 7 tons of boat travelling backwards must be quite something and it seems that if the blade is allowed to go too far over, the resulting increased surface area presented must result in a greater force needed to bring it back to centre or onto the other lock. So where do I start? Answers on a postcard please!!
<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by claymore on Mon Sep 10 14:35:04 2001 (server time).</FONT></P>
<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by claymore on Mon Sep 10 14:35:04 2001 (server time).</FONT></P>