Captains Log
Rudder Riddles and Car Tetris
The Toura rudder
The week rolled on, and with it came the delivery of our much-anticipated rudder from RSSailing. On paper, assembling the rudder seemed straightforward – just snap the parts together like a childhood LEGO project. However, in reality, it felt like trying to assemble a jigsaw puzzle with boxing gloves on.
The springs on the Toura rudder arm were proving to be a formidable foe. No matter how we angled, pushed, or coaxed them, they stood defiant. While Paul was confident about the mechanism, these springs had a mind of their own. Just when we started wondering if we’d inadvertently offended Poseidon, a lightbulb moment hit – leverage! Out came the long clamp, acting as our makeshift Hercules, and with a few compressions, the springs relented, allowing the rudder to click into place.
Victory at last!
But as the saying goes, when one door closes (or in this case, snaps into place), another opens. This time, the challenge was fitting our newly-assembled Toura rudder into the boot of my modest-sized car. Who knew rudder Tetris would be a skill I’d need?
The initial attempts were comically unsuccessful. The Toura rudder jutted out, threatening to turn the car into a peculiar land-sailing contraption. Twisting it this way and that, I felt like I was playing a real-life game of ‘Will it Fit?’. It’s not every day that you find yourself trying to negotiate with an inanimate object, praying for it to shrink just a tad.
After what felt like the 101st attempt, eureka! The Toura rudder found a snug spot, allowing enough room for a (slightly inconvenienced) passenger. The rest of the packing was a breeze in comparison.
And so, armed with a rudder and renewed determination, we were all set for our next sailing escapade. And perhaps a tiny note to car manufacturers – please consider rudder dimensions in future designs!
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