Rudder Adjustment

[Richard77]

Hello everyone. Over the years I have had trouble with my boat zig zagging while under way some days were worse than others but recently I had to change tie bar on rudders. Once I put tie bar on I was planning on straightening out my rudders with the adjustment on tie bar. Well as everyone knows nothing is as easy as it seems. I aligned the rudders with adjustment but when I would turn wheel one rudder would turn all the way until rudder arm would hit the end of its travel while other rudder arm would only travel about half way. If I would adjust tire bar where it could travel majority of the way either way I turn then the rudders are not even on the outside and I would experience the same issue as what I was having. One of the rudder arms has the hydraulic steering cylinder attached to it and that rudder seemed to be turned in slightly before The old tie bar was removed while the other was straight. From what I read both rudders should be slightly. The rudder arm that has hydraulic cylinder I did not try to adjust because the cylinder would have to be adjusted as well which I do not believe I have the room to adjust it enough to make a difference. It’s possibly before I bought the boat someone may have disassembled one of the rudder and didn’t put it back together correctly. I have taken the cap off the housing on the outside of the rudder system and noticed the rudders arm is attached below the cap. I have not tried to adjust anything but does it have some type of adjustment inside the housing to correct this issue. I am not sure if I have to adjust the rudder itself or if there is a way to just adjust where the arm is bolted to the rest of the system. I have taken a few pictures to help see what I am talking about. Also where can I order parts for this type of rudder system. When I took cap off a red gasket was under cap to keep water out of it. Gasket was dry rotted. I believe on cap for rudder system it showed the name Ellis.

 

[FF]

." I aligned the rudders with adjustment but when I would turn wheel one rudder would turn all the way until rudder arm would hit the end of its travel while other rudder arm would only travel about half way."

Rudders are most efficient when limited to about 35deg of angle. After that they become a brake .

Could the angle of the rudders be limited to 35deg by coming on a stop, if only on one side?

 

[OldDan1943]

Richard, I am not trying to avoid a comment but, I did a simple search of the Ellis rudder system and found MANY references. Not being familiar with your system, I could not do further search.
I suggest you, can narrow down the search because you have everything physically in hand.
Best of luck.
You are trying to do this in the water or on the hard?
You also mentioned you need to straighten out the rudder? How did you bend it?
First straighten the rudder before you attempt to correct anything else.
Dan.
Dan.

 

[C lectric]

I don't know this system.

You are so close to the interior parts that what you have does not show very well.
Take some more photos but from a greater distance so the other parts can be seen such as the tie bars, the hydraulic cylinder , the rudder arms, etc.

 

[O C Diver]

I'm not familiar with your system. That said, with a twin rudder boat, when the rudders are straight, the rudder arms need to be straight (parallel to the rudder blades). You need to establish that before making any attempt with the tie rod.

Ted

 

[bayview]

Rudders should have a slight toe out not be parallel and always tight never allowed to flap around