CapeHorn Self-Steering User manual

Cape
Horn
Owner’s Manual
Self-Steering

2

3
CapeHorn
Self-Steering
Owner's Manual
For operation and installation
of Integrated
and outboard models
CapeHorn Marine Products Inc.
26 Guy-Racicot St. Oka QC Canada J0N 1E0
Tel. : [phone]
www.capehorn.com
[e-mail]

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
A : OPERATION 6
Operating principle of the Servo-Pendulum Self-Steering 6
Connecting Procedure 7
1 : Set the Course 7
2 : Cleat the Control ines 7
3 : a) Fine Tune the Course Adjustment. 7
b) imit Yaw 7
4 : Trim the control lines 8
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 8
WINDVANES 9
Windvane Supporting Crescent 9
STEERING OAR 9
Safety line 10
Flipping the steering oar up when underway 10
Ideal size of the servo-pendulum 10
BALANCE UNDER SAIL 10
Reef when needed 11
CONNECTION TO ELECTRIC AUTOPILOT 12
STOWAGE 12
MAINTENANCE 12
B : INSTALLATION 13
INTEGRATED MODELS 13
1 : A) POSITION THE GEAR 14
Height Above Water 14
Positioning the gear fore and aft 14
Provision for 360° Quadrant Movement 15
Provision for connecting an autopilot to the steering oar 15
1 : B) TRACE THE CENTRE OF THE MOUNTING TUBE HOLE 16
2 : DRILL THE HOLE AND FASTEN THE MOUNTING TUBE 16
2 : a) Drill the Hole 16
2 : b) Fasten the Mounting Tube 17
Fasten the Forward End 17
Fasten the Aft End 18
Metal Hulls 19

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3 : INSERT THE CONTROL AXLE AND FASTEN THE QUADRANT 20
3 : a) Insert the Control Axle 20
3 : b) Fasten the Quadrant 20
Quadrant above or below the axle ? 20
4 : INSTALL THE WINDVANE TOWER 21
Braces 21
Connecting the windvane tower to the horizontal axle 22
Connecting the Control Mechanism 22
5 : RIG CONTROL LINES 23
Type and Size of ines 23
First Pair of Blocks for Control ines 23
Direct Connection to Yacht’s Steering System. 24
Position of the Turning Blocks 25
Examples of direct connections 26
Jamming cleats 28
CONNECTION TO WHEEL OR TILLER 29
Connection to Wheel 29
Connection to Tiller 30
RIG LINES FOR REMOTE COURSE SETTING 31
OUTBOARD MODELS 32
INSTALLATION OF THE VARUNA OR JOSHUA 32
Assembling the Varuna or Joshua 32
Installation to the transom 33
Control ines 33
Connecting an autopilot to Varuna or Joshua 34
INSTALLATION OF THE TOUCANA 35
GUARANTEE 35
EXPLODED VIEWS 36
Taking the Horizontal Axle Apart 36
Taking the Windvane Tower Apart 38
Send photos 39

6
a : Operation
Op rating principl of th S rvo-P ndulum S lf-St ring
The turret is rotated until the apparent wind hits the windvane on its edge. As long as
the boat is on course the wind
pressure on both sides of the vane
is equal so that it stays vertical and
the steering oar stays vertical in the
water. If the direction of the boat
changes in relation to the wind the
vane is tilted by the wind hitting it on
one side. This tilt of the vane turns
the stock of the steering oar.
Because of the forward movement
of the boat through the water this
turn of the steering oar (also called
“Servo-pendulum”) causes it to be
pushed with great force sideways
turning the horizontal shaft that
passes through the transom
rotating the quadrant at its the
steering oar comes back to vertical.
The steering oar (servo-
pendulum) can also be controlled by
a small electric auto-pilot placed
inside the lazarette. The power
needed to steer the boat is still
provided by the servo-pendulum
and the autopilot providing only the
information uses only a few milli-
amperes from the batteries.

7
Conn cting Proc dur
1 : S t th Cours
The turret is rotated until the apparent wind hits the windvane on the edge. (The higher side
of the angled rod at the top of the turret points into the wind and the hook is to leeward.)
Tip : The windvane does not always receive the same wind as the masthead. The ribbon on
top of the vane indicates the direction of the apparent wind at that point.
2 : Cl at th Control Lin s
Pull the control lines tight and cleat them on their marks. If you can not cleat both of them at
the same time first cleat the one that causes the boat to bear away (it is doing most of the work) and
take up the slack on the other.
3 : a) Fin Tun th Cours Adjustm nt.
Fine tune the course adjustment so that the boat maintains the precise compass course (or
point of sail) required
Tip : When adjusting course it is difficult for beginners to know which way the turret should be
turned. This is easily determined when one asks the question : Do I want the boat to head up into
the wind or bear off? If you want to head up into the wind the windward side of the vane should be
turned towards the bow. Conversely if you want to bear off the vane should be turned towards the
stern
b) Limit Yaw
When we have learnt to sail we were taught to steer with a
minimum of rudder angle in order to maintain boat speed to a
maximum. This is also true with self-steering and you want
your vane to give just enough rudder angle to stay on course
but not more. The amplitude of the corrections is reduced by
limiting the tilt of the windvane. Adjust the tension of the short
piece of bungee-cord on the crescent by passing tit through he
nylon loop on top of the course adjustment disk.
This adjustm nt is sp cially critical wh n sailing
downwind in unstabl air, wh n you s th boat oscillat
on both sid s of th d sir d cours .

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4 : Trim th control lin s
If a boat is not perfectly balanced under sail and requires some weather or lee
helm in order to maintain a given point of sail the length of the control lines can be
adjusted to induce a certain rudder angle so that when the boat is on course the
steering oar is approximately vertical in the water and the amplitude of the correction is
roughly equal on both sides.
Marking th control lin s at th cl at wh n th st ring oar is v rtical and
rudd r amidships mak s it asi r to conn ct th van and visualis how much
h lm is giv n.
Or if your jamming cl ats ar clos tog th r, you could ti th lin s
tog th r in a knot at th position oar v rtical and rudd r amidships and
automatically r ach this position by pulling both lin s qually tight and cl ating
th m.
If the wind varies in strength. the control lines may need adjustment.
MPORTANT : If the boat needs weather (or lee) helm on a given point of sail
be sure to inv rt th trim of the control lines after you have tacked. Any lack of sail
balance that the rudder angle was correcting on the previous tack is now increased by
this rudder angle being inverted. Failure to invert the trim on a new tack makes the
job much more difficult for any self-steerer.
After the gear is connected it is a good idea to have a look at the windvane
quadrant to ensure the lines are working as they should and that nothing is fouling
them.
Additional In ormation
Windvan s
Two windvanes are supplied : a smaller one made of aluminum sheet for
heavy weather and a larger and lighter one made of nylon spinnaker cloth and 1/8 in.
dia. stainless steel wire for added
sensitivity in light air. It is
recommended to change over to the
small van after you have taken a first
or second r f.
The light air vane extends 24 in.
(60 cm) above the top of the tower
and the heavy weather vane 17 in. (43
cm)
The windvane is inserted into a
slot cut on the top part of a crescent-

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Windvan Supporting Cr sc nt
The crescent-shaped piece sits on the angled rod
inserted in a hole on the windward side and into a slot on
the other with a concentric sliding collar held in position with
a split pin. This pin is also inserted into the hook at the lower
end of the angled rod and transmits the tilting movement of
the vane to the rest of the mechanism.
The counterweights have been adjusted before
delivery and normally there should not be any need to
change this adjustment unless some weight is added to the
light air vane. They are adjusted so that in calm air the light
air vane just comes back close to the vertical after it has
been tilted. The heavy weather vane does not need any
special adjustment as there is always plenty of wind when it
is in use.
You will notice that this crescent is offset to one side
and the counterweights are sometimes bent to one side : it is
because the weight of the crescent is used to counter-
balance the weight of the connecting rod inside the windvane tower; the higher the tower the more
the counterweights have to be offset to the side to balance the added weight.
Do not r -adjust count rw ights to limit yaw. Us th bung cord that limits th tilt of
th cr sc nt inst ad.
St ring Oar
The steering oar is linked to its stock with three turns of
shock (or bungee) cord between the mounting plate of the
oar and the hook on the stock maintaining the two notches
on the plate in contact with the two transverse pins on the
stock. This allows the oar to break off if it hits an
obstruction and prevents damage to the stock or to the oar
itself.
Tension on the shock cord is adjusted to maintain the oar
in place except when an effort beyond normal is imposed.
If it breaks too often without apparent reason increase the
tension on the shock cord.
The only spare part you really need is a piece of ¼ in. (6
mm) ordinary shock (bungee) cord. Experience has shown
that 25 in.(640 mm) for Jean-du-Sud and 33 in. (840 mm)
for Spray was the correct length to allow 3 turns and the
length needed for a fisherman’s bend while keeping
sufficient tension to keep the steering oar in place. If you
notice that the paddle breaks away for no apparent reason
it is most probably because the bungee has stretched and
needs to be replaced.

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The easier way to connect the steering oar to its stock is
irst to hook the shock cord to the stock, then swing the
steering oar in position over the stock until the two pins are
snug into the notches.
Saf ty lin
Should w m ntion it? It is ss ntial to hav a saf ty lin
on th st ring oar, to avoid s ing it disapp ar in th wak ,
th first tim it br aks off.
Flipping th st ring oar up wh n und rway
The easiest method of flipping the paddle up when under way is to tilt the windvane
crescent which will cause the servo-pendulum to swing to one side then pull it up out
of the water to “ park ” it along the tower.
Id al siz of th s rvo-p ndulum
Power generated by the servo-pendulum is proportional to its wetted area and to
the square of the speed of the boat. From this we conclude that servo-pendulum area
is critical only at low speed. At higher speeds the pendulum generates considerably
more power than needed to steer the boat.
Experience has shown that the wetted area of servo-pendulum needed to steer at
2-3 kts to be somewhere between 8 and 12 % of the yacht’s rudder area. Closer to 8
for a high aspect-ratio partially balanced rudder steering a well balanced boat and
closer to 12 (or more) for a low aspect ratio rudder on a boat that is not so well
balanced or has a wheel steering system with a lot of internal friction. We normally
take the yacht’s rudder dimensions and the height of the horizontal axis above the
waterline in determining the length of the servo-pendulum for a given boat but if you
find that your pendulum does not generate adequate power to steer your boat at slow
speeds please contact us and we will provide you with a longer one.
A racer concerned with reducing drag to a minimum could order two steering oars :
a longer one for light air or slow speed and a shorter one for higher speeds.
Internal resistance of a cable steering system can be reduced appreciably by
loosening the tension on the steering cables. This can be done before a passage
when the vane will be steering most of the time. Loosening the cables may induce a
little “ backlash ” in the wheel but since the vane will be doing most of the steering this
is of little consequence.
Balanc und r sail
With any kind of s lf-st r r or autopilot th s cr t to top p rformanc is sail
balanc .

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Do not expect your gear to steer a straight course if the sails constantly pull the
boat to one side and the self-steerer has to correct this tendency before it can do its
job of keeping the yacht on course.
The mast should be tuned to render the h lm as n utral as possibl in medium
air. When a boat is steered by hand it is recommended for safety reasons to tune
the rig with some weather helm so that if the rudder is left free the boat heads up into
the wind and stops. Now that the boat is destined to make passages under self-
steerer this safety feature is no longer desirable: if the helm is left free the boat
should keep sailing in the same direction (as much as possible).
When under way watch the course for a while: if the gear always corrects on the
same side it might be that the sails are not set properly. Trim the sheets until the
oscillations are about equal on each side.
In selecting sail combinations consider balance under sail. If the wind is aft of the
beam favor sail area forward. On a broad reach pole out a jib or a genoa as soon as
possible (keeping a second jib to leeward if necessary). This improves sail balance
and the boat sails a much truer course.
R f wh n n d d
As the wind builds up a yacht acquires weather helm. This is normal and
desirable up to a point. In fact increasing weather helm is the first symptom of an
over-canvassed boat. Often the wind freshens gradually and as there is no one at the
tiller or wheel this added weather helm goes unnoticed. Whether it is steered by hand
or by a self-steerer a yacht sails better with a moderate heel and the right amount of
sail. A self-steering system does not alleviate the necessity of reefing when
necessary.
Conn ction to l ctric autopilot
It is possible to connect an electric autopilot
to the servo-pendulum of the Jean-du-Sud and
Spray models. Thus the energy to turn the
rudder comes from the water flowing along the
hull instead of coming from the batteries and the smallest autopilot
can control a large yacht. Located just in front of the quadrant
inside the lazarette the autopilot will be protected from spray and
since it has a very light duty to perform its life will be much longer.
A quick look at the photo suggests that the autopilot is connected
to the quadrant. Not true : it is connected to the forward end of the
co-axial rod that steers the servo-pendulum .
Connection on the Varuna and Joshua :

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At the end of the autopilot ram there is a hole made for connecting a vertical pin on
the tiller. Turn the ram ¼ turn drill this hole all the way through with a ¼ in. drill and
insert the L-shaped rod through this hole. Insert the dovetail-shaped plastic connector
at the other end of this rod into the corresponding piece at the end of the horizontal
control axle.
The autopilot can be connected with equal effectiveness above or below the
horizontal axle or placed to port or to starboard. If the correction of the autopilot is on
the wrong side flip the changeover switch on the unit. (The 1/4" rod is held by friction
inside the dovetail-shaped plastic piece; it can be pulled out and inserted from the
other end.)
A tiller autopilot that is designed to be mounted to
port will also go to port if it is placed b low the control
axle. It can also be placed above and be mounted to
starboard.
The amplitude of the correction given by the autopilot
is varied by adjusting the length of the rod.
It is possible to mount the autopilot elsewhere and link it to the steering mechanism
with light control lines.
Not : rigging st ring lin s to th control rod also r nd rs r mot pow r
st ring possibl
Stowag
For short periods the steering oar can be swung 180° to rest along the
windvane tower.
For longer periods the steering oar and windvane (with crescent) are easily
removed and stowed below.
Maint nanc
After the gear has steered half way around the world or after two or three
seasons it is prudent to make sure there is some waterproof grease left in the slot in
the pendulum stock to prevent wear of the bent rod passing through it. Remove the
cap at top of the tube and insert grease through the hollow top part of the stock using
a stick or a piece of wire.
Do not use grease or WD40 (or equivalent) to lubricate the plastic bushings.
The Teflon bushings need no lubrication however an occasional squirt of silicone
spray on the Teflon bushings of the windvane connecting rod and steering oar will
contribute to maintain top performance in light air.
As with other stainless steel equipment a regular polish will maintain its bright
finish.

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Installation
I f installation of your Cap Horn is don according to th
instructions, w guarant that it will st r to your satisfaction. Most
probl ms with th Cap Horn ar caus d by an improp r installation.
You will most probably gain tim by r ading th instructions
b low : th y may pr v nt many tim -consuming mistak s.
Installation of th Cap Horn can b don whil th yacht is
afloat. It is r nd r d much asi r if th yacht’s st rn is brought to a
stabl do ck, with th yacht mad fast to it so it will mov as littl as possibl
.
Installation of Integrated Models
Installation of the models Jean-du-Sud and Spray is done in 5 steps :
1 : a) Position the Gear
b) Trace the centre of the Mounting Tube hole
2 : Drill the hole and fasten the Mounting Tube
3 : Insert the Control Axle and fasten the quadrant to it
4 : Install the Windvane Tower
5 : a) Connect the control lines to Yacht’s Steering system
b) Rig ines for Remote Course Setting

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1 : a) Position th G ar
It is the mounting tube that
passes through the transom and
through which pivots the horizontal
axis between the servo-pendulum
and the quadrant which
determines the position of the
gear. Hence positioning the
mounting tube is positioning the
entire gear.
Th mounting tub
should b in a lin parall l to
th for -and-aft c ntr lin of th
boat (th k l)
However it can be mounted
off-c ntr in order to avoid
cutting or moving the backstay
chainplate gusset. Performance of
the gear will not be affected if it is
offset to one side (provided it is
kept parallel to the keel).
It can even be offset enough to
allow a transom-mounted rudder to pivot.
H ight Abov Wat r
Drag of the servo-
pendulum is kept to a minimum
when the metal plate that links the
servo-pendulum to its stock is
kept out of the water. Therefore
the height of the mounting tube
above the waterline (HWL) should
be at least
16 in. (40 cm) for the Jean-du-
Sud
24 in. (60 cm) for the Spray.
If the gear is higher we can make
the servo-pendulum stock longer
conversely if it is lower.

15
Positioning th g ar for
and aft
Aft : The aft end of the tube must
clear the aftermost part of the transom or
stern. It must also clear the trailing edge of
the rudder by at least one inch (25 mm) if it
extends past the hull.
Forward : A reasonable distance
between the transom and the struts
supporting the forward end ensures a
strong installation. This distance (D)
should not be much shorter than the
overhang (O) between the transom and the outboard end of the mounting tube .
Provision for 360° Quadrant Mov m nt
At the forward end of the tube a circular space (CS) of a diameter
16 1/2" (43 cm) for Jean-du-Sud
22" (56 cm) for Spray.
Quadrant thickness is
1" (25 mm) for Jean-du-Sud
1 1/4" (32 mm) for Spray.
If space (inside the lazarette or in the
cockpit) is limited to one half-circle below or
above the horizontal axis the gear will work just
as well but the possibility of swinging the
pendulum up for storage alongside the windvane
tower will be lost.
The quadrant is delivered with a plastic
disk in its center at the place where the
horizontal axle will be ; a 1/4” hole in its center
makes it easier to project the position of the hole in the hull by inserting a 1/4” rod (or
long drill bit) into it on which you can place a level to ensure the horizontal axle really
is.
Provision for conn cting an autopilot to th st ring
oar
The co-axial control rod that steers the servo-pendulum extends in front of the
horizontal axis in front of the quadrant.
An additional 2" (5 cm) of space is required in front of the quadrant plus the space
required for the autopilot itself..

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1 : b) Trac th C ntr of th Mounting Tub Hol
Transferring various measures to points on the transom inside or out is much
easier when the boat's waterline is level both fore-and-aft and athwartships. In this
case a line can be strung above the rail made perfectly level and parallel to the keel
and used as a baseline. In most cases this line will pass over an opening in the
lazarette and allow to transfer measures inside it with a plumb line.
Make good use of the level and the square. If the yacht is stable also use the
plumb line (it is easy to improvise one); use it in particular to materialise both ends of
the mounting tube and to determine the position of the quadrant..
Use your eyes a lot and trust them. If it looks off it most probably is and
conversely if it looks right it most probably is.
Carefully mark the centre of the hole on the transom or hull both inside and out.
Wh n this is don , do not grab th drill y t. R p at ach st p of th whol
m asuring op ration, to doubl -ch ck. R m mb r this is th most critical part
of th installation proc ss and has to b don with gr at st car .
If you arrive at the same results twice you can go ahead with a clear
conscience and drill the centre guiding hole.
2 : Drill th Hol and Fast n th Mounting Tub
2 : a) Drill th Hol
Drill a hole 1/8 in. (3 mm) or
smaller first. If you are satisfied with
its position drill 1/4 in. If not. Drill an
other smaller hole in the right position.
Drilling a small hole first makes
changing its position easier. Do not
worry about drilling more than one
hole as this section of the transom
will be removed when you drill the
large hole.
Cutting the Mounting Tube hole
through the transom is easier than it
appears with a good quality hole
saw :
2 1/2 in. (63 mm) for Jean-du-Sud
3 1/2 in. (89 mm) Spray

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The secret is to maintain the tool very
steady level and parallel to the centre line;
this way you will easily cut through the
transom even if it is at an angle. Or through
the curved surface of a canoe stern. If the drill
is held very steadily the hole-saw will not
bind. If possible cut half the thickness from
the outside and half from the inside.
Replacing the centre 1/4 in. guiding bit
of the hole-saw by a longer one (such as
those used for drilling through partitions)
makes it much easier to drill level and parallel
to the keel.
2 : b) Fast n th Mounting Tub
The Mounting Tube must be very strongly attached to the transom and hull. Aft
it must absorb the drag of the servo-pendulum through the water and forward the
torque of the quadrant and pull of the control lines.
Notice that the Mounting Tube is marked fore and aft : the two bushings at each
end of the Mounting tube are slightly different (the aft one is larger due to the fact that
at welding the horizontal axle may have become slightly oval and the chamfer is a bit
deeper due also to the weld); Hence the tube must be inserted accordingly.
Fast n th Forward End
The forward end of the mounting tube is
held in place with two struts provided - standard
length 18 in. (45 cm) for Jean-du-Sud and 24
in. (60 cm) for Spray-.
These struts are bolted on the tube at
angle between 90° and 120° and cut to reach
either the underside of the deck above or pads
bonded to the hull below with epoxy.
The center of the strut should not be
closer than 2” from the forward end of the tube
to leave room for both bushing and curved
back-up plates inside.
Two holes are drilled dia 5/16 in.
(7 mm) 1 ¾ in. apart (centre-to-centre) into the Mounting Tube; the curved back-up
plates are placed inside it and the curved U-shaped brackets are bolted on the tube.
The inside curved back-up plate is covered with a double-sided adhesive tape
that will keep it in place until it is bolted. Peel away the protecting paper before
inserting.

18
The struts are cut to the appropriate length (the tube has one turnbuckle-type
end which allows for 2 inch adjustment of its length) and a ¼ in. hole is drilled through
it ½ in. from the end (make sure this
hole is drilled at 90°) for bolting to the flat
U-shaped bracket which will be bolted
under the deck or to the hull whichever
is more convenient.
If the strut is bolted to a pad
bonded to the hull we recommend to
use a 4 in. square (or longer if the same
pad is used for the turning block)
plywood or hard wood min. 3/4 in. thick
with edges bevelled 45°. Holes are pre-
drilled through it and countersunk bolts
are inserted from the bottom before
bonding.
The surface of the hull is ground
to expose bare fibreglass; all surfaces
are coated with epoxy then bedded in
thickened epoxy ; the bevelled edges of
the pad are covered with glassfibre tape.
The length of the struts is fine-
tuned using the turnbuckle end to
ensure the tube is parallel to both the
waterline and plane of the keel.
If both struts and turning block are
mounted on a pad it is a good idea to
mount both on the same pad as when
the line pulls the strut also pushes and
considerably reduces load on the pad
(photo).
Fast ning th Aft End
Glassfibr or wood hulls
Once the fore-and-aft position of the tube
is determined mark the contour of the
transom on the tube with a grease-pencil
or a marker both inside and outside.
Then grind with a power grinder or a file
stopping 1/4" short of its outside end
and about one inch past the inside
mark.

19
On the inside of the hull grind also
about one inch around the hole to remove
existing paint and expose bare fibreglass.
(Before applying the epoxy and glassfibre
make sure you have drilled the holes for
the struts holding the forward end of the
tube)
Apply a coat of epoxy (with
hardener) to the ground portion of the tube
and also to the inside and sides of the hole
in the hull.
Thicken the epoxy with filler until it
does not sag when you take a gob at the
end of a stick and hold it for about 10
seconds. Fill the gap between the tube and hull and make a fillet inside. For an even
better joint you may add one or two layers 2 inch wide glass tape.
Epoxy resin provides a better adhesion to cured fibreglass than polyester. If
you are using the West System filler no. 404 is best (you will need less) but 403 and
406 will provide adequate mechanical strength; 405 is for wood.
Uncured epoxy can be cleaned with alcohol (methylated spirits) which is less
“aggressive” than acetone.
A light bead of sealant will make a nice finish outside.
M tal Hulls
The Mounting Tube can be welded
to a steel hull provided welding is done
carefully to minimize tube deformation.
An aluminum Mounting Tube can
be supplied for welding to an aluminum
hull.
If welding is not practical an optional
Delrin collar adapter can be used to bond
the tube to the hull.
The collar is cut to the angle of the
transom and the two halves are inserted over
the mounting tube one from the inside the
other from the outside taking the transom in
sandwich and the two halves are bolted
together using a liberal amount of sealant to fill
all voids..
If we are given the angle the transom
makes with the horizontal this collar can be

20
3 : Ins rt th Control Axl and Fast n th Quadrant
3 : a) Ins rt th Control Axl
The Control Axle is now inserted into the Mounting Tube. It should turn
r asonably fr ly. If it does not it may be either because the tube has been ins rt d
backwards or because welding has pulled the tube out of shape. In the first instance
if the tube has already been bonded to the hull all is not lost : just switch the two
plastic bushings. In the first instance or if switching the two bushings has not solved
the problem satisfactorily smear both ends of the control axle with a felt marker and
rotate it inside the mounting tube : the ink will be transferred to the tighter points on the
bushings which can then be scraped or sanded away.
3 : b) Fast n th Quadrant
Quadrant abov of
b low th axl ?
The quadrant can be placed
either with the groov abov the
axis or with the groov b low.
Whether it is mounted one way or
the other is determined by the
most conv ni nt placing of th
first pair of turning blocks and
the most direct routing of the
control lines to the rudder
quadrant wheel or tiller.
When the control lines are
pulling the tiller or rudder quadrant from a position forward of th rudd r stock, th
lin s ar conn ct d dir ctly wh n the windvane quadrant is abov , and they have
to be crossed if the quadrant is mounted b low the axle.
Conversely if they are connected to a r v rs (auxiliary) till r or to a rudder
quadrant mounted b hind the rudder stock the lines are cross d when the windvane
quadrant is abov , and led dir ct when it is b low (see p.26-28).
All the pow r transmitted to the yacht’s rudder is conc ntrat d on the link
between the quadrant and the horizontal shaft; this is why the quadrant must be
bolt d v ry tightly on the axle.
Tighten first the two bolts on the centre of the shaft itself then the two bolts and
nuts on either side of the collar. After the first few hundred miles of self-steering (or
first bout of heavy weather) re-tighten if needed.