Piper Boat Owners Club Forum

Welcome to the Piper Boat Owners club Forum. The Forum for owners of Piper built Narrowboats and Barges and anyone interested in Piper Boats. The owners club is completely separate from Piper Boats. Please feel free to post a message to club members and web site readers.

General Discussions
Start a New Topic 
1 2
Author
Comment
Loose rudder

My tiller has about 1" of free play in either direction before the rudder engages. This has got steadily worse over the past year. Anyone know what the 'fix' is? E-mails to Piper have gone unanswered.

Re: Loose rudder

Hi Roger. I'll find out for you and get back after the weekend, strange you haven't had a reply, sorry about that.
Dot

Re: Loose rudder


Hi again

I've spoken to Simon, who says they use the same method for fixing rudders as we used to, so David says (initially he said bang it with a hammer)

It's like a lock spindle, so a good firm knock down should do the job.

It doesn't sound too technical - let us know how you go on.

All the best

Re: Loose rudder

Thanks, Dot. A fitter at Mercia told me that also, so I walloped it with a club hammer (via a piece of wood to avoid damage) but it wouldn't budge. There is a set screw below the brass collar where the tiller spindle enters the bearing on the stern. Should that be removed first, maybe?

Re: Loose rudder

Is the knuckle or collar of the shaft touching the top of the bearing?

Re: Loose rudder

I'm not sure, could be. I did not realize there is a flange on the shaft, none is visible. (I'm in Phoenix now so I can't check that).

Re: Loose rudder

If you send us a photo when you're over here we'll have a look. Look forward to hearing from you.

Re: Loose rudder

Was annoyed by a rattling tiller so contacted Tony Payne at Red Bull Basin and in June last year spent a couple of days out of the water when the the complete tiller assembly was removed and repaired. Surprising the amount of wear on the tiller spigot and mountings merely by the swinging of the tiller arm. More to the tiller than meets the eye but what a difference when corrected.
I did photograph the tiller assembly removed but posting them is another world.

Re: Loose rudder

Hi

Thanks for the pic. No this shouldn't be removed. It needs a really good wallop - that should do the job. Failing this it would be best attended to next time you're blacking.

Give it some welly!

Re: Loose rudder

We have a message from Roger to say that a firm wallop with a big hammer has solved the problem!

Re: Loose rudder

Roger and Dot,

In the post you said to wallop the Tiller with a hammer, but where should we wallop it?

1 2