Lock your rudder off in a current?

[fireball]

At anchor or hanging off a single buoy, no need to lash or lock the tiller.

Wind over tide?


Yes there is....

 

[Babylon]

Wind over tide?

Yes there is....

Fair enough!

 

[fireball]

Fair enough!

 

[ChrisE]

From the experience of another, who bent his rudder stock by locking the rudder lashed amid ships, I think a better solution is to use bungy ties either side so that there can be a bit of give if needed.

I'm sorry but that's just silly, we go for 000s of miles across oceans with the rudder effectively pinned under autopilot and subject to greater forces from following seas than you would get on a mooring. I don't doubt your word but wonder about the stength of a rudder stock that gave into such (relatively) small forces.

 

[Nostrodamus]

I am so glad to see that things never change and no matter what question is posed there will never be a consensus.
Thank you for the replies

 

[WoodyP]

I'm sorry but that's just silly, we go for 000s of miles across oceans with the rudder effectively pinned under autopilot and subject to greater forces from following seas than you would get on a mooring. I don't doubt your word but wonder about the stength of a rudder stock that gave into such (relatively) small forces.

Sorry, but I didn't fully explain. The boat was moored in a tidal river where it grounded at low water. The bungy would have allowed the rudder to move on grounding, but without being lashed in some way the stream either forces the rudder across one way or the other, thus making the boat move relative to the stream.

 

[lw395]

In my view, the rudder should always be locked, because movement causes wear in the bearings.
Likewise the boom should be tied off to one side to stop the gooseneck wearing out.
Also, some rudders ca nmake a surprising amount of noise when sleeping at anchor.
Most boats would be prone to damage from the rudder grounding, but maybe in this case, tieing it with something that will break before the rudder might tick another box?

 

[ChrisE]

Sorry, but I didn't fully explain. The boat was moored in a tidal river where it grounded at low water. The bungy would have allowed the rudder to move on grounding, but without being lashed in some way the stream either forces the rudder across one way or the other, thus making the boat move relative to the stream.

Ah I see, I was wondering how it could have happened. Makes sense in those circumstances.

 

[Debenair]

Always, always, lash tiller, or lock wheel.

Normally amidships , but there may be times when you need to give the boat a sheer-to swing out into deeper water when at anchor, or temporarily to avoid another boat anchored too close. Thames sailing bargemasters when at anchor reputedly used to sheer the barge towards the danger, so that if the barge broke the sheer and dragged, she dragged away from the danger.

In places like the River Crouch the convention is for all the boats on swinging moorings to have the helm lashed hard to port, so the moored boats take up a consistent line and allow certainty for the racing fleets competing in restricted waters.

 

[Greenheart]

Thames sailing bargemasters when at anchor reputedly used to sheer the barge towards the danger, so that if the barge broke the sheer and dragged, she dragged away from the danger.

What happened if the barge didn't break the sheer and drag? Hadn't the bargemen then deliberately put themselves more in the danger's path?

 

[mikeinkwazi]

Not a stupid question at all.

I had the same dilemma recently when the wind picked up unexpectedly and all the windows and doors in our house started to bang and crash. One of them was actually torn off its hinges.

Thank God for the old guy in B&Q who answered the phone. He had experience of my problem, something the younger members of staff sometimes don't have.

He recommended shutting the doors and windows in ANY breeze likely to cause them to slam around which is not dissimilar to your concern.

THANK YOU B&Q !

As an aside, we are currently getting a lot of smoke in our lounge when I light our log fire.

Do you think we need a chimney?

Thank you, this quite made my day!

 

[Greenheart]

Thank you, this quite made my day!

Please explain the joke? I'm not normally so obtuse to a point well-made, or to a well-timed touch of the absurd...but Shannon's post seemed to be neither.