Rudder repaired - issues now

[Democritus]

Hi just a butt-in!...You are writing o tiller rather than rudder...Do any of you chaps have any idea of how many tophat 25's were built using
tiller steering? I mean 'original survey' not later replacing a damaged rudder? I can think of three or four reasons which may have led to that
system but would like to hear from anyone who can give such and sundry information. Please use queribus@onthenet.com.au as I rarely
have time now to scour the site...
on your situation...

You may find better materials today to replace your rotted foam...or find a good tiller rudder to adapt. Bear in mind we have created
bacteria which can eat just about any of our vile chemical concoctions. Try 3M. My regards.

[Phillip]

All Top Hats were originally built with tillers.

I know of only one that was converted to wheel steering.

[Democritus]

Much later...so how did that distortion happen ? What a shame the shipwright doesn't test what he fixes and finds the issue before delivery. I have a friend, best wheel aligner in the country I say...Doug Heasman at Sydenham. I have known him for over 60 years and have taken all my numerous cars to him at purchase for ...total suspension check. I drive from Qld to Sydenham to have him do my work...or have car towed there from say, Victoria and dropped off to him for the work before continuing on to me...

Doug owns the business and has done all the alignments...Every car whether Morris Minor or Mclaren is road tested by him...and adjusted for road performance...at same cost as others charge to just adjust once. This is quality tradesmanship (though he is an engineer) It's all very well to be charging $100 and more/hour without the QA and QC but it's not what we 'old timers' call 'a really tradesman-like job'..Now "it's all about the mugney Sol". There's a huge gap between being a process worker pulling stuff apart and putting things together and being a dinki-di tradesman.

Shipwright have told me the level of marine worker has diminished. E.g.''' I spoke to a marine rigger the other day "I've had 8 workers in two months...all drug addicts and alkies....hopeless..." He's employed them out of desperation of course but recognising the problem does he then do 'due diligence"?...does he then check every nut bolt, plate, waterproofing, tension? himself..I don't know but it's up to us to do what we can to get them to lift their game if it seems deficient...

Yes I am a tradesman and a top one at my craft, so I can reasonably make such noises as I have. Meanwhile back at the ranch...Maybe the rudder was damaged on the slipway or hit bottom or something hard when being taken out of the sling...or someone just reassembled it off-centre.

I wrote Engine Handbooks and did the legwork for HMAS Success....Down the track it was sent to Singapore (we try to curry favour there...no pun) for second sole welding...when it came back It bowed 'like a banana" in the sun. The entire job just done had to be cut out and remade...here...She's been scrapped now....'m just reinforcing the point that 'on the ball' QA should be applied along the way to QC...and any defect picked up and fixed.

[Democritus]

I meant tillers used with transom mounted rudders. The others remind me of the steering
tillers in 189-1901 motor cars so I should have been clearer. Please advise me of details of any
with tiller mounted rudders.