Monitor Manual
2 Description of the Monitor
2.4 The Servo-pendulum
The MONITOR pendulum is hinged in the frame on a solid 3/4" stainless steel watervane support shaft (33). The upper half consists of an outside strut (26) with Delrin roller bearings (31) at each end for friction-free rotation of the pivot shaft (43) inside it. Below the strut, the pendulum shaft ends in a 5/8"-thick hinge block (43),which is part of the latch mechanism (47) that allows the water paddle (61) to be easily taken out of the water. The design also allows the water paddle to be easily put back into the water and locked automatically in this position. The MONITOR latch is self-energizing. It engages harder under increased pressure. The latch is designed not to open in case of an overload, since such conditions also could occur in extreme hard weather conditions. It would be disastrous if the latch opened surfing down a big wave. True overload situations like a violent broach or hitting a log are handled by the safety tube (67), which is located between the hinge and the water paddle. This tube is weaker than the rest of the pendulum and can bend in any direction. It is designed to buckle upon a severe impact that would otherwise cause more extensive damage to the gear. Below the safety tube is the watervane (61) or the servo-paddle itself. This paddle is the powerhouse of the MONITOR. The MONITOR paddle has been given a NACA high-lift profile, and its leading edge has been moved forward of the center of rotation to semi-balance the blade. This allows the airvane to rotate the paddle with a minimum of force, improving the light air performance of the gear. The paddle has a stainless steel skin welded to a stainless inside shaft. Its hollow part has been filled with polyurethane, closed cell foam. The end result is an extremely strong and rigid servo-paddle.