Tight Steering

[Mugsnoel]

Hi All, I have recently purchased a Nicholson 35, the steering with the boat in the water feels fine, even out the water turning the wheel feels fairly smooth, however, when hauled out I cannot seem to move the rudder when physically pushing either direction from below, has anyone ever experienced anything similar?

[psk125]

Is the wheel brake on? A friend of ours also had a problem getting the wheel to turn once. Took him (and me, who tried to help) about an hour and a half before he remembered that the hydraulic autopilot was on, set to the course he was pointed at when he tied up.

[barnakiel]

Wow, you got a Nic 35. Congrats. One of my favourite classic designs!


There is a couple of things to consider:


- with boat in the water, the rudder displaces, the steering gets easier,
- with rudder in the water, the lower bearing(-) is/are wet, less friction,
etc.


Now the less positive maybes:


- with the boat on the hard, the hull flexes and this adds friction somewhere along the train,
- with the boat on the hard, the rudder drops and ads friction on a limiter,
etc.


I will suggest while on hard:


- check she is supported properly,
- check if the rudder has not dropped any significant amount,

- have someone up in cockpit turn the wheel while you are pushing the rudder first up, if this changes nothing, then sidewise. Note any differences.


The reason may be very innocent, but you want to know all the whys of your boat. Rudder problems are one of top 3 all time sailing fails.


Find out what it is all about and PLS PLS PLS post the findings.


Envy,
barnakiel

[sailorboy1]

I sailed my boat the whole first year I had it with the brake stuck. I could turn it with the wheel without a problem and even the autopilot did it no problem.

[Mugsnoel]

Thanks for the Info, I will look into it. The wheel still turns the rudder quite easily with the boat on the hard. It seems there was no steering brake when I bought the boat so I don't think that is the issue, but will have another good look.

[coopec43]

Is it chain and cable steering?

[tkeithlu]

When you push the rudder with your hand you are at the wrong end of the mechanical advantage built into the steering. As in, you turn the edge of the wheel a long way to get the rudder to move a short distance. The question may be "Is it more difficult to move the rudder by hand than it should be?"