Tiller Extension Releases Rudders on One Side

When I have the rudders locked in the up position and attach the tiller extenstion, one side of the rudder will unlock because the rear cross-bar sits higher than the tiller cross-bar and the weight of the tiller extension sitting over the rear cross-bar causes one side of the rudders to unlock. Not a huge problem once you get the boat in the water but when rigging just before launch when you want the rudders up, it's kind of a pain. Is this normal?

Thanks,

Sorry if this comes through twice........

Yes....what your describing is normal. Try laying the hiking stick on the tiller arm until you're ready for the rudders to drop. Put it on the one that'll be windward first and it will be handy.

Jerome Vaughan
Hobie 16
Clinton, Mi'sippi

Thanks, I thought I had seen some tiller tubes that actually angle upward a little which might prevent this. I could have dreamed it I suppose.

I keep a bunge, one of those short round ones with the ball on the end, on the tiller cross bar. Use it when launching and retrieving to hold the tiller to the cross bar.

It keeps it in place when i don't need it bouncing around.

_________________
Mike Hensel
'86 Hobie 18, '93 Hobie 14, '80 Hobie 14(restso in progress)
Wind in your sails, water in your shoes, great day!

Probably not a bad idea, you can always use those for something like water bottles, etc.

Thanks.

I use the shock cord on the tiller connector to hold it when I don't want it flopping around.

I had the same thing happen to me, until I tried using the righting rope to hold the tiller arms against the hulls. When rigging, and after raising the rudder, I pull a small loop of the Hawaiian-style righting rope over the end of the arm and around the bolt-end on the bottom (where the tiller connector bar attaches). The tension of the righting rope pulls the tiller arm down and forwards, lightly, which is just enough to keep it from falling down while launching/retrieving.

Rick