1/8" Rudder Control Steering Arm for RC Sailboats

In the size of RC sailboats that I enjoy building (Star 45, my Salish 475, Vintage Marbleheads, maybe someday an East Coast 12 and others... all between 45"-60" LOA), it is tough to find rudder control arms that fit a 1/8" rudder post. It's virtually impossible.

Recently I found a website that showed how they made their own. Today I tried it and it worked really well! I'm simply horrible at metal working, especially soldering, but after a few mistakes I finally got it to stick.

Here are my first tries. When I finally get around to building the actual boat, I will make better ones. But this at least proves that even someone as solder-challenged as I am can do it!

1/8" rudder controal arm for RC sailboats

Click HERE to go to the website I found. They were working with 1/16" shafts, but the steps are the same for my 1/8" shafts.

There is also a nice discussion on RC Groups about rudder control arms. This is another example for an RC hydroplane.

Then I found someone else, and I can't find the link, who suggested simply using Great Planes 1/8" Nickel-Plated Brass Wheel Collars brazed to brass rod. Worked out perfectly. The package came with 12 collars, so I can practice all I want until I get a better one.

Now back to the 3D modeling on the Sun Wind II.

Aloha!

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