By Multihull Solutions Technical Manager – Nod
Our Services Manager Michael Crook (better known to everyone including his parents as “Nod”), has spent most of his life playing with boats and offers some great tips to help you keep your boat in A1 condition.
This tip assists in keeping your steering in check …
After attending two vessels this week that had slack steering lines, I realise this is not part of everyone’s routine maintenance. This does not apply to the power cats or the Mahe and Lipari in the sailing cat range.
Most other cats have a chain steering with lines that run back the rudders. Over time these stretch and the steering become sloppy. This makes it very difficult for the boat to hold course or to steer to one.
Next time you are in the engine bays check to see if there is any slack in these lines. If so, it can be tightened at the ends with the threaded adjusters. Do not overtighten. Just enough to take up any slack.
This will noticeably improve the steering!