tiller alignment 5.2 :: Catamaran Sailboats at TheBeachcats.com

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tiller alignment 5.2

gcamick

Rank: Mate

Registered: Dec 21, 2009

Last visit: Apr 16, 2013

Posts: 127
Posted: Jul 16, 2010 - 03:02 PM

This is what my tiller looks like on both ends. THere is no apparent way to adjust it. I have read about tiller adj nuts etc. Am I missing something?
My steering seems very sloppy when I'm sailing and it wears out my hand holding it.

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Gray Amick
Chapin, SC
'77 NACRA 5.2
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Edchris177

Rank: Chief

Registered: Nov 26, 2009

Last visit: Apr 10, 2024

Posts: 2524
Posted: Jul 16, 2010 - 03:24 PM

This is the adjustable one. Try to find a used one, you may have to cut down the original bar a bit. The short piece on the right threads in/out in order to lengthen/shorten the total tie bar length, then you lock it with the round nut. The idea is to get the tillers parallel. This may not solve your problem if it is one of excess weather helm, have you tried raking rudders forward? Here is a good write up on balancing the helm.
http://www.thebeachcats.com/Article15.html

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Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
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gcamick

Rank: Mate

Registered: Dec 21, 2009

Last visit: Apr 16, 2013

Posts: 127
Posted: Jul 16, 2010 - 04:26 PM

Thanks for the info Ed. I have read the article you sugessted many times (trying to soak it in) so I realize there are other factors at play here.

I guess as a follow up question I am wondering if my Nacra 5.2 ('77) originally had some type of adj as you have pictured or not?

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Gray Amick
Chapin, SC
'77 NACRA 5.2
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Edchris177

Rank: Chief

Registered: Nov 26, 2009

Last visit: Apr 10, 2024

Posts: 2524
Posted: Jul 16, 2010 - 04:59 PM

I don't know what the standard was at that time, I'm pretty new to mine also, an '84 5.7

Give Dan Berger an email or call, he usually has a bundle of parts. I got some stuff from him, & I believe he had an adjustable tie bar. He is good to deal with, as many here will attest.

--
Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
--
yurdle

Rank: Mate

Registered: Aug 22, 2007

Last visit: Jan 07, 2015

Posts: 742
Posted: Jul 16, 2010 - 06:36 PM

As long as they're aligned you don't need adjustment.

First figure out where they are loose. If its at that connection, drill those rivets out and pop new ones in. 5 minutes and done (with enough time to spare for half a beer or so.)

If the gudgeons have stretched out then it's a bit more extensive of an operation, but either way I've got an '83 5.2 with about 1/16" of play (and that sixteenth is new, I just have a crappy nylon washer I'm too lazy to fix.) so it's all fixable.

edited by: yurdle, Jul 16, 2010 - 06:06 PM

--
Rob
OKC
Pile of Nacra parts..
--
erice

Rank: Mate

Registered: Feb 19, 2008

Last visit: Aug 26, 2023

Posts: 671
Posted: Jul 16, 2010 - 07:49 PM

my 82 5.2 doesn't have the adjuster either

imho

it's heavy, expensive and just makes it easier to screw up the alignment

measure the distance between the front and back of the rudders at top and bottom, if they are the same then all is good

on boardless boats like h16 they discovered that it was actually more efficient to not have the boards perfectly parallel, so then people wanted to experiment with how much of a misalignment was best

i've been thinking of bending in some ackerman angle into my pintles, like the post 85 models, that would be more efficient, slightly lighter and FREE

but it would also mean cutting the tiler bar to get the correct alignment and as i don't race 1 design with my 29yo boat i'm not really concerned about getting the last .001% out of it

as it is the boat is already the fastest on our lake and i am probably going to have to sail it without jib and with crew just to give the 2 h16's a reason to come race

edited by: erice, Jul 17, 2010 - 09:51 AM