Marinette Boat Forum

I wondered when you were going to get to this. Got all your parts cleaned up and now lets put them all together. If like mine your helm or wheel controls ( or is linked to ) one rudder, and you have a tie rod to the other rudder, this is what you do. First only worry about the rudder that is controlled by the helm. Center the wheel. ( How many turns from stop to stop? ) Center is half of that. ( do this so you can turn left or right the same amount. You don't want to be able to turn really hard one way and barely turn the other. ) Unless it is for Nascar. Put the wheel in the center of it's travel. Now don't touch it. Now the wheel thinks you are going straight. Make the rudder straight, fore and aft, or parallel to the keel. You might have a line or mark on top of the rudder shaft, or measure the rudder blade for parallel. Adjust this by adjusting the length of the steering cable. The linkage or control arm, or bellcrank on top of the rudder should be keyed to the shaft so no adjustment there. When that rudder has you going straight, adjust the tie rod length so the other rudder is parallel to the first one, so it will make you go straight too. ( just measure the distance between the rudders, at the front and the back of the blades ) If the distance is the same and nothing is bent or crooked, they are parallel. You can put a very slight amount of toe-in between the rudders like the steering on a car, but at least have them parallel. Or I'm at 907-247-2874 if you have questions---Ed

If your rudders are straight, it is possible that your tillers will be pointed slightly inward. Its actually a good thing. Google "Ackerman Angle". Although this is geared towards wheeled vehicles, it still pertains to twin engine boats. I see it more in high performance boats.

I've been told that you need about an 1/8 inch toe IN. Set mine up that way and the boat worked fine.

Jeff