New Rudder System!

[Ed]

Woohoo!  Got my new Idasailor/Ruddercraft rudder and should get it on the boat this week, probably.  Finished the tiller myself, saving $40 to $75 over varnish and epoxy varnish.  Put it together today after I ran down and got the old tiller. The blade is at least a foot and a half longer than the wooden one. Found out we didn't have enough Sunbrella on hand to make a tiller cover so I ordered a couple of yards for Becky to make a tiller cover and winch covers.  Looking forward to a trial sail in two weeks (this weekend is the Commodore's Ball and we are on set up detail). 

[Spot]

Very nice! With it being longer...was that a request from you or just how they provided it?

[Ed]

That is stock.  I looked at Panda Paws, another Windrose 18 with the same rudder.  It's a honking big rudder, but maybe it will prevent my turning circles in light winds in the S turns on Allatoona.

[Charles Brennan]

Ed, Wow! That rudder blade is LONG!! 

Pics of it (for everyone else) look like this:
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Makes my old rudder look like a Dowager at a Rock Festival!!

Very cool,
Charles Brennan

[Noemi - Ensenada 20]

Makes my old rudder look like a Dowager at a Rock Festival!!

When I was in college, I went to a Queen concert.  We were on the flat floor right in front of the band...along with an elderly lady in a leopard-patterned coat carrying a big cup of beer.  I thought she was cool.

[Spot]

I really like Ed's new rudder. I have been considering something similar for the Luger Southwind 21 but can't bring myself to buy one (yet) so it might be homemade as an off-season project. I did add some lead to the current blade (4#) after the last sail as it always sticks in the 'up' position, even with a downhaul. I am planning to add some large HDPE washers ( 4 or 5 inches diameter x .063" thick) inside the slot to provide a slicker bearing surface.

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[Travis Chapman]

They are big 
But to that point, I ran into several episodes stalling out at Codorus in light or variable winds when I felt both the extra aspect ratio, deeper cut, and/or better shape than the ole barndoor was providing could have made a difference. I don't notice the extra height when raised (other stuff like the motor are also above the combing), and if it helps with the ease of deploy/retraction... Totally worth it. To my shame, I never truly worked out the best engineering solution to deploy the wooden blade without me hanging overboard and mentally cursing.
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Huzzah for the best engineered solution of this era, I think!! Wishing you the best with it

[Ed]

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Ran out to the boat to cut the pattern for new crib boards and figured I would get a picture of the new rudder.  Becky made a nice tiller cover and Buddy The Wonder Dog is watching everything.