I've just recently acquired Selkie and have put her on a drying swinging mooring at West Kirby. My rudder is, I think is of the old design, whereby it swings up into a horizontal position but still remainders below the water line. Its not suited to a Tidal flow on an open estuary and is becoming damaged. I need to chage to a vertical rudder whereby the rudder blade is completely out of the water. Does anyone know if possible to alter my existing rudder? Or where and how do a source a vertical rudder and blade?

Many Thanks

Andy Hillyard

Hi Andy

I also have the early swing up type of rudder and keep Redshank on a drying mooring in the Teign, which can run at 5 knots.

When left on the mooring mine is fixed centraly with a swing up plate on the inside of the transom which locates the tiller and a lifting cord which holds the blade up so that only a small part remains in the water. This has been a good system so far and the rudder never contacts the bottom. Last year I didnt antifoul the rudder and ended up with a lot of growth on the part in the water all the time, so this year I have antifouled just that part so as not to cover the dinghy with antifouling when coming to and leaving the boat.

The swing up rudder does have the advantage that it will kick up if you try to get on your mooring when it is getting a little shallow (18" of water sometimes!) although the pressure needed on the tiller can be very high with the rudder up. I used to have a Jaguar 21 with a vertically lifting rudder and personally prefer the one on the Evolution.

Hope this is of some help.

Stuart

Thanks Stuart

I've managed to alter the rudder so the that the blade now swings through 130 degrees as opposed to the original 90, so now the blade is completely clear of the water/waves. I haven't tried it yet, but will know next week if its successful.
I noticed you said that your blade kicks up if you hit an obstruction, does that mean you have some bungee cord fitted on the tiller?

Cheers

Andy H

I HOPE YOU DONT MIND ME BUTTING IN BUT I HAVE AN EVO 26 WITH A HORIZONTAL LIFTING RUDDER AND I THINK IT IS A VERY POOR DESIGN. FOR A START WITH THE KEEL LOCKED IN THE HALF WAY POSITION THE RUDDER TOUCHES BOTTOM FIRST AND WHEN THE RUDDER IS FULLY UP IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO USE IN ALL BUT PERFECT CONDITIONS FOR FEAR OF BREAKING THE TILLER.
MY PERFECT RUDDER WOULD LIFT VERTICALLY BUT WOULD ALSO HINGE BACK IF IT HIT BOTTOM .
I DID SEE THIS DESIGN ON AN EVO SOMEWHERE IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN ON THI S FORUM.

Hi Andy

I have a cord that goes into a plastic V jammer on the tiller, if I touch bottom with the blade it pushes up by sliding the cord through the jammer. This obviously wears the jammer, but better than ripping the rudder off. I do not think a bungy would be sufficient to hold the rudder down on a fast reach, we regularly hit 8 knots when racing and the rudder coming up would result in a huge broach!

Re Nics comment about stearing with the rudder up, he is quite right the load on the tiller is huge. I find it ok going very slowly for the last few yards to get on my mooring which is just off the deep water channel. However I do have quite a hefty tiller of about 2" section hard wood.

I hope all this helps.

Stuart.

I've altered my rudder, see photo but only time will tell if this works. I think the verticle lift rudder is the answer.
Cheers

Andy H

There are some pictures of keels here Andy

http://z10.invisionfree.com/EvolutionYacht...hp?showtopic=54

This is probably where Nick saw the vertical lifting/swinging version that someone seems to have invented.