Did anyone one else notice....

On the cover of the Jan-Feb Hotline it looks like there are two different tiller arms on the boat. One straight and one bent one.

Hmmnnn

i didnt notice it but now i do, i wonder why?

I looked at the original high-res photo (about 10Mb) blown up really big and I think it's just the angle of the photo. The port tiller arm is bent directly towards the camera, so you don't see the bend.

I wonder why HCE is still bending tiller arms, when Hobie US stopped doing it over 20 years ago. It's an extra manufacturing step.

The amount of toe in on the tiller arms determines the difference in the turning of the rudders. (Ackerman angle) That is, with more toe in the rudder on the inside of the turn turns progressively more than the rudder on the outside of the turn. Maybe HCE thinks HCUS has the ackerman angle wrong. If that is the case the european boats will tack faster, interesting.

It is the angle of the shot. On that plane, the tiller arm appears to be straight, but it is actually bent towards the camera.

The USA uses asymmetrical upper rudder castings. The upper casting angles the tiller arm in for the Ackerman. We used to bend the tiller arms, but only in a vertical direction for crossbar clearance.

The Euro upper rudder castings are straight which then requires a bend in the tiller arm to create the Ackerman.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)