Design of Bracket to Mount External Rudder Feedback Device

Repair or modification of Boston Whaler boats, their engines, trailers, and gear
rastam4n
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun May 01, 2022 10:17 am

Design of Bracket to Mount External Rudder Feedback Device

Postby rastam4n » Sun May 01, 2022 10:22 am

Give me ideas:
  • on the design of a bracket [to mount] an external rudder feedback device;
  • on where to mount the bracket so it does not interfere with the main [or the auxiliary engine] when they are tilted up, and
  • on how to mount the bracket so it does not interfere with the main [or the auxiliary engine] when they are tilted up

ASIDE: the main engine is an Evinrude G2 with dynamic power steering. The main engine will be shut off and the auxiliary engine is to be steered by an autopilot.

[Moved from SMALL BOAT ELECTRICAL because the question was in regard to a design of a mounting bracket. A survey question proposing a survey to discover how many people had made such a bracket was deleted. In general, questions that propose surveys are not welcome in the forum. Survey questions tend to elicit very few replies, and such results are generally meaningless in terms of being an accurate survey.--Moderator]

jimh
Posts: 11672
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 12:25 pm
Location: Michigan, Lower Peninsula
Contact:

Re: Design of Bracket to Mount External Rudder Feedback Device

Postby jimh » Mon May 02, 2022 5:15 pm

Please clarify what the device will be that you call "an external runner feedback device."

Are you trying to describe a rudder position indicator?

Since you have two engines that are linked together by some sort of mechanical drag link, the most obvious method to install a rudder position indicator would be create a link between the rudder position indicator and the tiller extension that links the auxiliary engine to the main engine.

The best way to mount such a bracket so it does not interfere with either engine when tilted up would be to mount the device on the auxiliary engine transom bracket, and connect the sensor input of the device to the moving tiller extension of the auxiliary engine.

Regarding steering: leaving the main engine in the water can help with steering when only the auxiliary engine is powered, as the gear case of the main engine can act as a rudder.

rastam4n
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun May 01, 2022 10:17 am

Re: Design of Bracket to Mount External Rudder Feedback Device

Postby rastam4n » Mon May 02, 2022 7:06 pm

Yes, it is a rudder position indicator... sorry for the confusion

The Auxiliary motor is steered "by wire" there is no drag link, I am using a linear potentiometer on the main engine, connected to a ESP32 Microcontroller... from there the microcontroller is connected to a linear actuator, the potentiometer measures the position of the main, and tells the actuator to extend or retract. So, when the main engine moves, the auxiliary follows its direction. I was unable to use a standard drag link due to how each engine is mounted.
So I really do need to mount the position indicator on the main engine as it is used without the auxiliary at times, but the auxiliary is never used without the main steering it.
I always leave the main engine down when trolling with the auxiliary, I learned the lesson quickly!
If there was such a thing as a N2K linear position indicator, this would be much easier!

jimh
Posts: 11672
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 12:25 pm
Location: Michigan, Lower Peninsula
Contact:

Re: Design of Bracket to Mount External Rudder Feedback Device

Postby jimh » Mon May 02, 2022 8:32 pm

If I understand, you want a position indicator to attach to the main engine [E-TEC G2] so that a device you built will operate some sort of servo motor or ram actuator to steer the auxiliary engine. But because the E-TEC G2 has integrated steering there is no tang or tiller extension.

Check the E-TEC part breakdown to see if there is a part that would be used for a conventional steering model that could be fitted to the dynamic power steering model engine you have. Or, fashion your own tiller extension. It will only need to be strong enough to drag the rudder position sensor input arm along with the engine movement.