Rigging a elephant trunk

[JSP]

Has anyone ever come up with an idea to rig string from the console to the elephant trunks so they can be let out and pulled back in from the console?

[jyasaki]

Depends on how straight a run it is. A small formed brass tube would give you conduit to route the control string.

The problem I see is not so much pulling them up, but letting them back down. You'll get enough force to pull them up using a string housed in a tube (think steering cable); going down, though, you need enough weight at the other end to pull things back down (which can be considerable.)

Hmmm. Perhaps a cable between the transom and the console, with string on a short run through the transom to the trunks?

I can also see something along the lines of a remote spotlight: wireless control of a small electric motor.

jky

[m chappelow]

it would work better perhaps if the trunks were sleeved with plastic pipe only leaving the flexi bit to move ,they would then flop down with their own weight ,

[JSP]

Wouldn't the water pull the trunk down? I know when I've forgot to tie mine up they have come down on their own.

[Polwart]

Originally Posted by JSP

Wouldn't the water pull the trunk down? I know when I've forgot to tie mine up they have come down on their own.

john - others here have done it. the only boat I have used with them "strung up" seemed to 'fall back down' when released by themselves - not sure if they were weighted. Jky was talking about "sleeving" the "cable" which is a bit OTT and would add a lot of resistance. the set up I used - was basically bits of sailing dinghy spinaker halyard and guide pullleys, jam cleats etc.

[Jizm]

I ran the cord along the top of the tube with a stop knot in it and a small sailing pulley on the transom end, it did the trick.

[BogMonster]

Yes there was an article in Rib Intl a few issues back about a special RIB (forget the make) designed by/for RYA coaches which had exactly this, a cord up to the console for controlling the trunk.

[jyasaki]

As I said, it would depend on your boats configuration. I would assume that the line would have to come through the transom fairly high up, drop down to the deck (or under the deck), over to the console, and back up to a handy height. I'd run some kind of conduit, I think, especially if it runs where you can't see it, as it would be tough to clear if it snagged something.

jky

[chewy]

You got me thinking now.
Looks like its another job to add to my list, either that or i'll just leave em down whilst I'm on the boat?
How much water will an SR4 fill up with at rest, it still has the flooding hull.

[BogMonster]

I was just sitting on the throne and happened to pick up the old issue with the RYA coaching ribs in.

They are a VSR 5.8 R see here

http://www.vsrlab.com/?mod=catalog&action=view&group=11

if you look at some of the photos you can see the routing of the trunk operating cord down the starboard tube from just adjacent to the helm, and over the transom.