Reply To: Rubber Boots for Rudder linkage

I have found two articles of interest in previous newsletters. In the Spring '98 edition Peter Bailey (HT Catnap) confirms that the seals are gear lever gaiters from a Consul or Zephyr and advises on their fitting….he goes on to talk about a solution to “rattles and clonks” from his tiller conrod as well as rudder bearing wear. In the Winter '03 edition John Bowen (HT Voile-la) suggest they were from a Cortina (!) but commented they “seemed to split and perish”. After various trials he concluded that the bellows of a bilge pump were the answer but does not say which one. The, then, Editor, Steve Brodrick also suggested that water ingress could be caused by ill-fitting cockpit lids or from behind the helm steering moulding.