Busted Rudder

[Steve W]

That is awesome. I took my charter certification out of New York and spent a week sailing those water. I'd planned to take Skeena there this fall. where did you launch?

[NowWeTryItMyWay]

We launched from the Liberty State Park Boat Ramp (not the Marina, the boat ramp).

[Steve W]

Thanks. I took my course out of Liberty Landing Marina. We were tacking with all the boat traffic.....excursion boats, ferries, cargo, pleasure boats. I was kind of having an mental overload when my instructor said "relax, I heard if you can make it here you can make it anywhere......"

 

 

[Andy Woerner]

We're total newbs and we're trying to make sure we're not missing details in the instructions.

Early in this thread (about 5 years ago) Graham and Alan both say that the kit CNC rudder is meant to be glassed, but the current instructions say 'coat with epoxy, finish as desired'.   Did the empirical testing shortly thereafter revise that guidance?  Or is the proper process still to wrap them in fiberglass, similar to the center board instructions in the CS15 build video?

Thanks.

[Alan Stewart]

I agree that is confusing and I'll update it on the standard 17 plans. They show the laminated solid wood rudder while the kit uses a plywood rudder. You are correct we DID find that the rudder is plenty strong without fiberglass but we do still think it's good practice to glass it. 

[Paul356]

I glassed my rudder (CS 17 MkI) and have been glad I did.  The prop even brush against it once while running and I couldn't find a dent.  I also did the rope trick on the leading edge front, and have been extremely happy with that also.  Rocks beware.  Rope trick on centerboard with same happy result.