DRAGONFLY Trimarans User Forum

My rudder is sliding back, causing a huge pressure on the helm.

When starting sailing the boat is in a good balance. But after just some quick turns or after reaching higher speeds, the rudder slides slightly back, and I have the problem. It seems like the downhaul moves a little in the cleat before it is fixed. Perhaps the elasticity in the line is also a part of the problem. My former 920 never had that problem.

What are your experiences and how have you solved the problem.

the rope becomes stiffer as it ages. you can change it or cut 10 cm at the block end so that a different part of it is in the cleat or put additional polyester cover over it. i had a similar problem with the board downhaul line on my 920.
Also, a friend with a mono washes all his ropes in the washing machine each winter. seems to keep all his lines soft and pliable for a long time.

also, if your problem is related to stretch, you should try to give it a much stronger pull or even reset it after a few minutes of sailing. i think polyester changes its stretch characteristics when it gets wet...

I've heard some accounts of how a more stretchable rope (nylon) works better because it absorbs shocks via elasticity rather than slippage.

But in general this should not happen. My rudder had to be faired with sandpaper because it did not fit perfectly into the cassette.

I pull really hard on the rudder downhaul through the cleat.

I moved the hole in the rudder blade 1,5 mm to make the rudder come a little further forward. It seems like the problem is solved. After 300 NM of sailing there har has been no problems at all. It's like the rudder settles in a position where the drag is reduced and doesn't move the rudder from it's position. It's realy like a new boat.

Hallo Jakob

How old is your Dragonfly?
Do you have the new performance floats?
Did you get an new Rudder?

The Quorning Warft had some problems with the new rudder fore the
Performance serie. They are not symetric.

When you like i cane send you a pictur.

info@ladenbauplanung.ch

Regard Martin

My boat is from 2013 but rebuilt this winther with performance floats and it also got the deeper rudder.

I don't feel any differens sailing stabord or port. But pleas tell what you know and mail pics on jdm@jdm-ing.dk

I had the same problem where my rudder slipped back under pressure. It could be due to the downward motion at the shims or the elasticity of the wire. To get around this, I recommend checking the grip of the shims and looking at a less elastic line