J/30 Class Association Forums J/30 Forum The Boat, Sails and Equipment Emergency Rudders

Still getting set up for Offshore racing. PIYA Category 1 requires an "emergency steering apparatus". I have seen several designs and wondered if anybody out there has any experience/opinions that they's like to share.

I bet Dennis could share some stories and advise.

In addition to owing a J/30, I have crewed on a Challenge Business yacht (the organization that runs the Global Challenge.) They have wheel steering on their 67 and 72s, that were both designed for racing around the world. They carried an emergency tiller fabricated out of aluminum that could be put in place if the wheel steering failed. They did not carry a second rudder. I would think that something that provided an alternative tiller would satisfy the requirement you are looking for. I upgraded my tiller recently to a new laminated version and added a spinlock extension. I keep the old tiller and extension in my lazarette just for this purpose. You can find tiller replacements from APS and maybe layline for about $100 (the extension is another $150.) You could get a nice upgrade and have a backup at the same time.

Jon Lehman

I did lose a tiller once. The wood fractured inside the metal straps. Our "fix" was to simply duct tape the thing well enough to limp back into harbor. Having the metal straps provide most of the support helped.

This was NOT the ash tiller that came with the boat.

I know Circus, another Chicago J/30 had a rudder fracture at the waterline. I have no idear how they managed to make it back safely.

Let me restate that...

The tiller broke just outside the straps. We removed the broken part inside the straps, shoved the remaining tiller inside, and applied a generous amount of duct tape.

As the PIYA rule is being locally interpreted the requirement is for a complete steering system, not just a tiller. I've seen steering oars assembled using spin poles and boards, complete spare rudders (try mounting THAT in a seaway!) and auxiliary rudder/tiller setups that go in their own pintle/gudgeon sets. Wondered if anybody had tried anything different. But carrying a spare tiller is a good idea, too! Here on the left coast we seem to see a lot of broken rudders for some reason.
Doug.

Yeah Dennis...that ducttape worked for me too. I just bought a second new tiller. The first went in Hurricane Bertha, this one to the sun. Still on the parts list from Port Supply...sitting in Annapolis is my guess... they had 8 J30s left... they are laminated and about $80.00
I'm now looking for a new set of pintles/gudgeons for the rudder.... anybody know where they are premaid...or is this a custom replacement?

FYI-those laminated tillers are very nice, but be sure to epoxy any holes drilled through for the tiller extension. Water infiltration caused my tiller to start delaminating and the top two layers split from the extension fitting to the tip. Result? My tiller extension pulled out on a screaming tight reach with the chute up, resulting in a near broach only avoided by a very rapid wrestling match with the tiller.