The notch coincides with a hole in the stainless steel rudder stock and allows a pin to be put through, trapping the rudder in the full down position. This is good in that it removes reliance on the cam cleat (ours has let go occasionally) but you would have to remember to remove the pin when in shallow waters. Our notch does not have a fitting in it.

Ewan

Hi

When I acquired "Sulito" 325 it had a metal bolt that would slot into the notch

However Pascal (From Paimpol France, Maruli 325) suggested at the time that if you grounded hard you would either damage the rudder or the rudder stock. He used a wooden dowel (8mm) which in the event of grounding the rudder hard, the dowel will break and so protect the rudder and stock

I brought a length of 8mm round dowel from B&Q and cut several sacrificial lengths, just pine nothing special

I put a small hole in one end and tie on the back rail, works a treat. I am still on the original dowel 5 years later

But it does hold the rudder from popping up and if moving into shallow water you can release the cleat and the wooden dowel will hold the rudder in place. A very sensible option, we can thank Pascal for his idea

Regards

Barry Tiernan

I already wondered how to keep the blade down while releasing the rudder downhaul in shallow water. I already had situations where I lifted the keel to a level where the rudder blade must have must have been the lowest point (about 1.20m). Fortunately the blade never touched a hard bottom so far.

I can see your difficulity. Cant explain the difference. I must look at another 325 in our club to see if it is different. I presume the rudder is fully dowm, Mine is approx 1.4 m when fully down

regards

Barry (Sulito)

I will think about drilling a hole to fit a dowel and finish the top of the rudder blade with an epoxy coat to prevent ingress of water

Blue Moon came with one of those little clam cleats that are designed to pop open if they get sudden strain. I assumed they were a standard fitting on all 325/335s but perhaps not if you don't have one. Slightly more expensive than dowel but less likely to cause the rudder any damage before operating, and easy to reset. If I am running shallow I make a point of taking the rope out of the big cam cleat and let the little clam cleat take the strain.

Peter

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Incidentally we have a similar set up to yours but without the backup cam cleat and have never had the rudder pop up inappropriately in the past 15 years or so.

Martin

335/50

Currently in Dunkirk, tomorrow weather permitting, currently blowing F7. Oostende, then Vlissingen.

Dirk I have the same arrangement, with a 2GM I have too lock my rudder down as I kicks up slightly making the tiller very heavy.

I can show you this at the weekend...

Peter Lowry

Sophia, also a blue hull .

I think this piece of equipment is not original on the Parker 325/335 but was put on by the previous owner. However I think it is useful.

Whether the rudder blade kicks up also depends on how tight the blade is in the rudder stock. Of course the blade has to move freely whenever needed.

The wind drops from 7Bft to 5Bft after 11 am according to Windy. Hope you have a good sail to Oostende and to Vlissingen on Thursday. Hope to see you there.