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Thread: Steering Seminar Videos are Up

  1. #11
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    Jan 2010
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    Quote Originally Posted by AlanH View Post
    I took a SC 27 to Hawaii and had a Navik vane on the boat. My idea was that if disaster struck, the vane was coming off, the emergency rudder was going on, and the autopilot was doing a lot of steering. Also, the skipper would be doing a lot of steering.
    That's what I think would happen, but it is comforting to hear someone else think so, too. My Navik is currently in three parts while I locate (or have Chris at Svendsen's fabricate) the appropriately sized stainless brackets. To take the paddle and then the top off is a matter of several well placed screws (or, in a panic, I could always disconnect the frame and throw it all into the sea). And that photo of the rudder in Texas looks beefy, and not unlike Dura Mater's rudder. The rudder on my Cal 20 was similarly fat and strong, just not long enough for my current boat: her transom is 36" off the water. Thanks very much for the advice, Alan!
    Last edited by Philpott; 10-21-2013 at 07:51 PM.

  2. #12
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    Jan 2008
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    Santa Rosa
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    Jackie, Old rudders of various sizes, vintages, and design should be available locally. There are enough old boats/junked boats/rudders sitting around that asking some questions at boatyards, independent boat guys like Gordie, or a listing on Craigs List should get you one pretty cheap - if that's the way you want to go.

    I think it's absolutely necessary to get rid of the old rudder if it's bent, free wheeling, or only a stub -especially if you need to use the tiller as part of the emergency steering. I carry a length of wooden dowling (closet rod at Home Depot) long enough to shove the rudder post down and out of the boat. I've done it at the berth, so I know it can be done. I also have a shorter length of tubing which I attach to the rudder head fitting that fits into the now-empty rudder housing to provide a pivot point for the tiller. Now I'm ready to attach the lines from the emergency rudder and begin steering.

    If you're planning on an electric autohelm and hand steering, getting the Navik vane off will clear the transom for almost any kind of emergency rudder. If you plan to use the Navik plus an ER you've got to figure out how to mount both of them on the transom. If you do plan to use electric steering you'll need to provide enough battery power to do that, which probably means running your engine several hours per day. Think how much fuel you'll need.

    Pat

  3. #13
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    Jan 2008
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    Santa Rosa
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    Jackie, There's a transom hung Clipper 26-30 rudder for $350 on Craigs List in Redwood City, I think. I don't know how that would work for your boat, but it might be worth a look. 650.771.1945. If you're going with a separate rudder.

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
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    50

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    Remember that rudders don't have to be on the centerline! The Navik vane, among others, is narrow enough even with the diagonal struts that an outboard rudder can easily be fitted off center on a Cal 27 with enough room to swing easily to more rudder angle than it should ever have. This is how Constellation's E-redder and vane are set up, there's plenty of clearance. Of course it will be a little less effective heeled one way than the other but a lot better than jettisoning the vane!

    After all the first rudders were "steer-boards" on the right side of the boat.

    -Tom

  5. #15
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    Sep 2007
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    RAG's e-rudder is off-center because of the long backstay tang. One solar panel has to come off to use it, but that's easy.

    As someone else wrote, I also carry a rudder-tube sized dowel to drive the old rudder and post out out of the tube if that proves necessary - possible on my boat since the rudder tube is glassed in from top to bottom. You should check to make sure you can seal the lower tube with something if yours is in two pieces.

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    The Navik is great. There's no reason to heave the thing into the ocean, though, if you have to take it off. Just remove the paddle (mind your fingers!!!) and then take the rest of the thing off the back of the boat. Stash it in the forepeak.

    Buying a pre-made rudder that fits your boat reasonably well is WAY ahead of the game, compared to building one. That is, unless you're after the absolute lightest of light e-rudders and can vacuum bag a foam core with epoxy and carbon cloth. The only downside to a full rudder is the issue of getting the blasted thing lined up - gudgeons and pintles- with the blade in the water. If you just understand that you'll be wrestling the damn thing around for an hour before you get it to work, and that you'll be tired, sweaty and furious by the time it's done, then there ya go. You're set.

    Since you opted for the Navik, not a Monitor or Hydrovane, you're going to have to have some sort of non-windvane-attached rudder.
    1968 Selmer Series 9 B-flat and A clarinets
    1962 Buesher "Aristocrat" tenor saxophone
    Piper One Design 24, Hull #35; "Alpha"

  7. #17
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    Sep 2007
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    http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/boa/4136334706.html

    5 foot long rudder. If you mounted gudgeons on the appropriate places on the transom and had a somewhat shorter rudder stick out the BACK of the boat, attaches to lines that ran to a whipstaff in the cockpit, then this might work. If the guy thinks that it's a Cal 20 rudder, then it's probably too small, but maybe???

    http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/boa/4093712314.html

    That one is 'waaay south of here, but it's probably big enough for your boat. If it's 71 inches long, that's almost 6 feet long. If your transom is 3 feet, and the head of the rudder needs to stick up 8-9 inches over the transom, then that gives you 3 - 3 1/2 feet of rudder blade in the water.

    PERSONALLY?>???? if it were me? I'd call the guy, make a deal on the phone and drive down there. Dead serious about that.
    1968 Selmer Series 9 B-flat and A clarinets
    1962 Buesher "Aristocrat" tenor saxophone
    Piper One Design 24, Hull #35; "Alpha"

  8. #18
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    Jun 2010
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    Fremont, CA
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    There are some used rudders at Blue Pelican in Alameda.

    Todd

  9. #19
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    Nov 2013
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    I have a Capri 25 with a vane on the stern so I have been thinking about these issues. I attempted to purchase the Capri 22 rudder mentioned above but the guy really did not want to sell it as he is using it for his boat. Bit of a run around, that. I did purchase a J24 rudder (not cheap) nor is the hardware to mount it (1/2" pin hardware is costly to the tune of a couple of hundred new).

    Some ideas I considered, good and some not so good

    Mounting off center on the transom - no problem with handling but servo blade still hits

    Building a frame around the back of the vane, top the rudder with a quadrant of sorts, and use lines to link it to the vane and/or tiller. This would not need a tiller at all, The lines could be lead directly to the tiller and the existing tiller could be used to steer by hand or autopilot. I am still keeping this option open.

    I have an old Hasler gear that is easily moved aft a few feet to allow space for the rudder head. I wonder if the water diverted in direction would compromise the action of the servo blade?

    Mount the emergency rudder off the side of the boat like the Viking ships (steerboard became starboard, at least in nautical folk lore).

    As mentioned above, remove the vane and go electric auto pilot to steer. I am currently favoring this option for simplicity, but being able to continue with all steering options open is pretty attractive so I may end up with a way to extend the vane aft in back of the rudder (only about 14").

    I know Minnie's in Newport (So Cal) has some rudders in the back.

    Doug Paine

  10. #20
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    Sep 2007
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    For a boat the size of yours, wouldn't a sweep (long oar) work adequately? Just keep it lashed to the stanchions until you needed to use it.

    Those J/24 rudders are heavy. Besides the storage, I can't imagine trying to attach one in a seaway.

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