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I finally get my new TI out for its first trip and first time in the water. (minus one 1 hour session in a small lake with winds of 0-5 mph just to make sure the boat floated before the trip.) This was a two night trip into the northern end of Everglades National Park. So I'm out on day #2 outside the northern limits of the park when I'm coming past a key with a narrow shallow sandbar. I pull the rudder up before I get to the sandbar, then a few seconds later I pull the rudder down. When I tension the rudder, the down rudder line goes completely slack with no tension. I quickly try the other cockpits down line with no success. So I grab my paddle and with much effort steer the boat back the remaining 4 miles in about 10-12 mph winds to my campsite. The boat had probably been sailed about 25 miles since new and over a day and a half.
Steering with the paddle was nothing new as I had done this before because of a rudder break in my previous TI. However, this break was different from any of the others. The spectra line appears to have just slipped right out of the rudder drum. I was hesitant to take the drum apart on the beach, especially not ever having done that before. Fortunately, the rudder retrofit bungee attachment was installed. So I was hopeful that this would work as the sole attachment in at least light winds. I'd just have to avoid all the shallow areas the Everglades offers since I couldn't pull the rudder up. I had about 9 miles to go (if no tacking) the next day. As it turned out there was excellent winds probably reaching 15 mph and that bungee worked beautifully the entire time. I wish I had thought to use it when the spectra line initially gave way. By the way, on my previous TI I went through 2 rudders. Both of them routinely popped out without the bungee in place. I had no trouble at all with this one popping out without the bungee in place throughout the trip which was nice. However, the winds and water were rather calm for the most part.
Although I was very frustrated, my frustration was met with a sense of relief knowing that it's not much longer I have to live with this.
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