Project ST5000: Rudder transducer is solid

Ray needs a permanent, solid attachment to the rudder quadrant in order to know exactly where the rudder is.  Although it served for initial sea trials and feasibility testing, the string arrangement will never do for a permanent installation.

I cut a piece of the aluminum angle, carefully measured and trimmed so that it fit tightly inside the tapered space under the top flanges of the quadrant, right at the correct spot. This was not exactly easy, and involved many trials with folded paper.

Then to hold it in place, I cut off two more pieces of angle, 1" long. On each of these pieces, I trimmed one leg to 3/16", the thickness of the bronze casting flange of the quadrant.  These were to serve as the clamps, to be held in place with the 1" 1/4-20 stainless bolts, fender washers and nylock nuts.  For the piece d'resistance, I applied a dab of 5200 to the top of each end of the aluminum angle before installing.  I think this is going to stay in place.  And it avoids weakening the bronze quadrant casting by drilling holes in it.

The aluminum angle got an 11/32" hole bored in the exact center to take the ball bolt.  (By the way, if you ever need any replacement parts for your rudder transducer, these are the 10mm rod ends and ball bolts that are used with gas struts.  Search for them that way.)

Finally, I measured the amount of the M6 all-thread needed (the distance between the ends of the black nylon rod ends, plus the distance that the rod screws into one of the rod ends.  This way, I am left with the approximately 10mm length of the threaded part  at the other rod end for possible adjustment).  I cut the stainless all-thread to this length.

Installed with a lock nut and washer at each end, and voilà, Ray gets a solid, repeatable, linear report of rudder position!

Project ST5000: Rudder transducer is solid