Kick up rudder

[umop_apisdn]

I hit something with my rudder the last time out, and did some minor damage to the rudder where the line lock attaches to the rudder. It pulled the line lock out, ripping out some wood with it.

Has anyone experimented with using a pin to keep the rudder down, instead of the line lock? if it was relatively thin, and made of wood, it would sheer if you hit something, allowing the rudder to kick up.

Noel

[Dave R1]

I put a bit of lead in my rudder so it stays down on its own. I have a brass pin with a wooden knob that I insert in a hole to keep it up when I am in shallow water, beached or launching or recovering the boat.

I routed shallow recesses on both sides leaving about a 3/16" thick web in between. I under cut the edges with a dovetail bit. I laid in lead decoy weights which come in strips about an inch wide and 7 or 8" long and poured epoxy in to fill in the remaining space.

After one side was done, I flopped the rudder and did the other side.

[umop_apisdn]

I thought about weighing it down, but I wonder, does it really stay straight down when sailing? Seems to me unless you put a LOT of weight in it, it would still swing back a bit from water resistance.

Or does it matter if the rudder swings back a little bit?

Noel.

[rolandblais]

Phil Gowan's boat, Aloha, has a cleat mounted on the rudderbox that can "give way" when too much pressure on the rudder. It's used in place of the regular open cleat as spec'd in the plans. I looked on Phil's site but couldn't find it.

I think, though, it looks like this:

found here.

Peace,

Roland

[capt jake]

I installed shock cord. It works wonderful, as We have 'experimented' with it. ;) Pull it up tight in a jam cleat.

[Dave R1]

Noel, I've never seen it ride up. Even at higher speeds it stays down just fine.

[Barry Pyeatt]

Duckworks store $21.00

http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/store/hardware/autorelease/index.htm

I've seen a couple of boats using shock cords to hold them down as well. They give with impact, but unless the rudder is weighted it requires a lot of stretch on the cords to keep the rudder down.

[capt jake]

but unless the rudder is weighted it requires a lot of stretch on the cords to keep the rudder down.

That's OK, you can tell 'em it's mine. Without any weight in the rudder, I do have to reach back and start it under water until the leverage of the cord can take advantage. Then it does take a lot of stretch to hold it there.

I might cast a lead weight into the rudder this winter to help in this area. I need to start a list of all of the 'little' things that I need to do this winter. :roll:

edited: How much weight do you figure it would take to compensate for the natural bouyancy of the rudder? 3-4#'s?? I might do this tommorrow.

[JeffM]

I use one of the above-shown releasing clam cleats to hold down my unweighted centerboard. I've now hit bottom enough times to say I'm very satisfied with it: at its lowest setting, the board has never come up without touching bottom, but has always popped without fuss on contact. My board remains undamaged.

[Dave R1]

Jake, if you are asking me how much weight I've got in my rudder, I used two bags of decoy weights. I think it worked out to 4 pounds. I did a google search to see if I could find the same stuff I bought at the local hardware store. I didn't see the same package but they look like this:

Although more expensive than free tire weights, I was happy not to have to set up to melt anything down. The epoxy works well and I don't need to worry about the lead coming loose.

[capt jake]

I took the rudder off today and routed a star shape into both sides. Poured lead into it, sanded and re-coated with epoxy. Also inset some nickels (showing the year of launch) in the head of the tiller. The lead in the rudder was inspired by the work Bob Smalser did on his dory. Pistures pending approval presently.

It should at least assist in getting the rudder down in place and also lesson the tension required on the shock cord.

I might have all of my 'to do' list done prior to winter.

[capt jake]

OK, Here is a picture of it. I hope the Mahogany darkens again where I had to sand it.

While I was at it, I inset a few coins on the tiller.

[Guest]

Whats with this tiny shot of your rudder deal, Capt. ?

[capt jake]

So I am still learning how to use Franks photo option. :oops:

Let's try this.

[Guest]

This is just getting to be plain rediculous, CXAPt. you know. :wink: How much wait did you add?

[capt jake]

I didn't weigh it, actually. I am guessing about 4#.

[Guest]

Thanks. NIce work.

[capt jake]

The scorching around the lead was from a torch I used to help the lead flow, bummer. The lead itself did not scorch the wood at all! Really a pretty easy project, about 2 hours was all.

[Barry Pyeatt]

Looks pretty darned good Capt. Does the lead go thru the rudder or just recessed in the one side?

The Mahogany will darken over the next few weeks/months. By next spring you will probably not notice anything but the scorching and the star.

I'm going to need to do something similar with my rudder as well. The extra thickness is definitely going to want to float up. I was thinking about drilling up from the bottom edge with a forstner bit and epoxying in round lead slugs to add weight. Any thoughts on that from anyone?

[Ken_Potts]

That looks great Capt. Jake. I even like the scorching - I think you ought to tell folks you were going for that look (at least that's what I would do)

Barry - If you haven't got the weights yet think about using lead shot (from a gun shop or even some Wal-Marts) - I can't remember what a 20 pound bag costs but it wasn't terribly expensive. You might get more density for a given volume with shot than with weights. This is a guess on my part - Anyone who knows better please chime in and prove me wrong for Barry's sake...