Maricat Hiking Stick Needed

[paul_c15]

Hi all,

I was out in some strong with at Ballina and the hiking stick seemed to swivel wrong and the entire pole snapped off at the mount and in the following moments I lost the stick overboard.

Now I require a new hiking stick setup and swivel to attach to the cross beam? (dont know what its called.. [part connecting both rudders])

I tried emailing Mick but never got a reply. Any thoughts on where to get a replacement or DIY solutions?

Cheers

Paul C

[Pointed Reply]

Mick is at Taipan Nationals.

if you have lots of money buy a battle stick for $1xx.

Or

Ronstan universal from ship chandler and a 2 metre length of 16mm tube from hardware store.

Get some heat shrink tubing from electrical supplier and shrink it into tube with heat gun.

Use a rubber stopper like off a chair as a knob.

Or

find a bamboo grove and cut off a suitable length.

Or

a length of electrical conduit - but that tends to be too bendy

 

[knobblyoldjimbo]

Try Darcy, he's got buckets of bits.  He might have a replacement.  Otherwise there's a rubbery universal joint that quite a few use.  One snapped on me once so I don't like them any more.

 

A battlestick is guaranteed to bend!  Particularly the expensive telescopic ones!

[knobblyoldjimbo]

When I google this:  tiller universal joint

I get pics of the Holt or Ronstan uerthane UJ so you can see what they look like.

As far as replacing your tiller then you have lots of alternatives.  Like Rodney says, conduit, bamboo etc.  I use 12mm ag pipe that you can buy in straight lengths from Bunnings.  At the UJ end I have about a foot of conduit which then goes onto the UJ perfectly, in my case with rivets.  I've drilled holes in mine and wound 2mm vb chord to provide grip.

For really light days I have a length of conduit that fits into the ag pipe to provide extra extension.

I find the ag pipe to be lighter than conduit and it also bends so when I put the boat on its side and forget the extension it just bends, doesn't break.  

 

[paul_c15]

Cheers for the info fellas,

I'll have a look at these rubber universal joints. might give them a go. and ill pick up some plastic pipe from Bunnings.

Thanks

[Hockeye]

Just a couple of comments from my experience.

1. When attaching the rubber UJ or a swivel gooseneck to the rudder tie  bar, don't drill through the complete diameter of the tie bar.  The bolt holes seriously weaken the rudder bar and it will ultimately fail through the drilled plane, just when you are approaching the finishing line on a reach with no yachts in front of you!  Just rivet the fitting through one wall of the diameter.

2. I used 20 mm electrical conduit for my battle stick because it has thicker wall and seems to be more flexible than uPVC.

3. I also wound 2.5 mm cord around the grip of the stick for about 150 mm and placed a rubber stopper on the end.  Place a clove hitch at each end of the cord. (Get a Scout to show you how!)