From: Derek Shields
Sent: March 23, 2012
To: John Curry; Will Curry; Valerie Williams
Subject: It works like a Hydrovane!

Hello All,

Just a short note to let you know the new rudder works brilliantly. We sailed on all points of the wind in 20 kinots today then ran down a broad reach then a run in fading wind. In the finish we were sailing in 12 knots, doing 6 ourselves and the Hydrovane steered Adagio in a virtually straight line in about 1 m seas. Thank heavens for that. I am so relieved!

The first time I tried the replacement rudder it was still stiff but worked better than the original rudder. So I thought I might not have the intermediate bearing. I pulled the whole system apart and confirmed I do have that bearing. In the reassembly process I noticed I had to push fairly hard to get the main tube to fit through the lower bracket. I realigned the top bracket so the tube fitted without effort and tightened everything carefully. The pulling apart and realigning freed up the system.

I think the top bracket was pushed down when I adjusted the height of the system to fit under my stern arch. To slide the tube through the top bracket requires an opener bolt and perhaps I didn’t open it enough and forced the top bracket out of alignment. This combined with the slight distortion from resistance when under way caused the axle to bind in the lower bearing I think. Now there is less resistance and the main tube is perfectly straight and the rudder is balanced and all is well.

Thanks for your fantastic support.

All the best
Derek

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