Posted by Michel Capel (mike_c_f35ck@…>)
I’ll add my two Eurocents here…
We’re talking about transom hung rudders that sit behind a full keel
right…?
Pro’s:
- no hole in your boat;
- no missing rudder after you hit a container, log or whale;
- good looks;
- easier to replace.
Con’s:
- heavy steering when heeling (weather helm);
- rudder is located near waterline, lower rudder pressure there;
- no endplate on top, so rudder pressure is less than optimal;
- rudder needs more area because of previous two points;
- risk of breaking gudgeons or pintles or transom when dropping off
wave backwards;
- need for very heavy end stops at 37,5* either side of the rudder to
counter previous point;
- wave action on rudder; need for heavy autopilot.
I’ve had an F33/35 for 8 years, and overseeing the above pro’s and
con’s I must say it seems that a transom hung rudder has more con’s
than pro’s. On the other hand…it looks just right on a classic
Freedom…
— In freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com, “lance_ryley”
<lance_ryley@y…> wrote:
I was having a discussion about Bright Star with an old friend of
mine, and we were essentially concurring that it’s a great rig -
well
balanced, sturdy build, well mannered in a sea… when he surprised
me
by saying, “still, I wouldn’t trust a stern-hung rudder for off-
shore
work.” I was a little surprised by that. I mean, granted - an event
that could possibly shear off my rudder would also take the transom,
but with the way the rudder abuts the keel, my feeling is if I lost
the rudder, I’ve probably got bigger problems to worry about. Any
thoughts on this?
Lance
Posted by Peter Schäfer (petersch@…>)
Mike,let me add two more Eurocents.
I had a F33/F35 (UK built as yours) that I bought in the Caribbean way back
in 1995. The previous owner had cut off at least 25% of the barn door rudder
at the trailing edge. I sailed the boat for five month in the Caribbean with
no steering problems and then started back across the pond via Bermuda and
the Acores.
On the leg from Bermuda to the Acores we were hit by a storm with maximum
wind speeds of 48 knots. The boat sailed on ist own all the time steered by
a Windpilot pendulum self steering device surfing down the waves at up to 16
knots. There was never the slightest tendency to broach, although (or
because of?) I had only one reef in the two ply main sail (there were no
more reefs in that sail!). As my companion was seriously sea sick for most
of the time, I did not dare to douse the sail all on my own under those
circumstances.
After these experiences I had a lot of confidence in the boat, the rig and
the steering gear. Sadly so, later that year the boat was severely damaged
by a barge that drifted into the marina of Ponta Delgada in Sao Miguel on
the Acores during a winter storm while I was at home in Germany. The barge
pounded onto the rudder with such force, that the heavy stailess end stops
you mentioned punctured the transom and almost sank the boat.
To make a long story short, it took my lawyer almost a year to convince my
insurance company that the boat was a total loss, as there was no boat yard
on that island that could have repaired all the damages to the hull and
rudder. I could not do it myself because I had to get back to my job after
taking half a year off.
So much about the virtues of a transom hung rudder on a F33.
So long, Peter
Posted by Jerome Weinraub (zayde@…>)
Where else could you put a rudder on a F33.There is just no room to put it
anywhere else.Any other place would require a totally different design.
----- Original Message -----
From: “Peter Sch ä fer” <petersch@…>
To: <freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 08, 2005 1:59 PM
Subject: Re: [freedomyachts2003] Pro’s and cons of transom hung rudders
\
Mike,let me add two more Eurocents.
I had a F33/F35 (UK built as yours) that I bought in the Caribbean way
back
in 1995. The previous owner had cut off at least 25% of the barn door
rudder
at the trailing edge. I sailed the boat for five month in the Caribbean
with
no steering problems and then started back across the pond via Bermuda and
the Acores.
On the leg from Bermuda to the Acores we were hit by a storm with maximum
wind speeds of 48 knots. The boat sailed on ist own all the time steered
by
a Windpilot pendulum self steering device surfing down the waves at up to
16
knots. There was never the slightest tendency to broach, although (or
because of?) I had only one reef in the two ply main sail (there were no
more reefs in that sail!). As my companion was seriously sea sick for
most
of the time, I did not dare to douse the sail all on my own under those
circumstances.
After these experiences I had a lot of confidence in the boat, the rig and
the steering gear. Sadly so, later that year the boat was severely damaged
by a barge that drifted into the marina of Ponta Delgada in Sao Miguel on
the Acores during a winter storm while I was at home in Germany. The barge
pounded onto the rudder with such force, that the heavy stailess end stops
you mentioned punctured the transom and almost sank the boat.
To make a long story short, it took my lawyer almost a year to convince my
insurance company that the boat was a total loss, as there was no boat
yard
on that island that could have repaired all the damages to the hull and
rudder. I could not do it myself because I had to get back to my job after
taking half a year off.
So much about the virtues of a transom hung rudder on a F33.
So long, Peter
Yahoo! Groups Links
Posted by Michel Capel (mike_c_f35ck@…>)
Hi Peter,
Subjectively, I have the same good feeling about the transom hung
rudder on the F33/35 as you have; objectively comparing pro’s and
con’s I understand that today there are not many boat designs with
transom hung rudders anymore. As Jerome below says, boat design
insights change over the years, and most contemporary designs have
no room for a transom hung rudder. The shallow draft F33/35 was well
suited for this type of rudder and I also have learned to know her
as an able little ship that you can rely on.
chrs
Mike
— In freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com, Peter Schäfer
<petersch@u…> wrote:
Mike,let me add two more Eurocents.
I had a F33/F35 (UK built as yours) that I bought in the Caribbean
way back
in 1995. The previous owner had cut off at least 25% of the barn
door rudder
at the trailing edge. I sailed the boat for five month in the
Caribbean with
no steering problems and then started back across the pond via
Bermuda and
the Acores.
On the leg from Bermuda to the Acores we were hit by a storm with
maximum
wind speeds of 48 knots. The boat sailed on ist own all the time
steered by
a Windpilot pendulum self steering device surfing down the waves
at up to 16
knots. There was never the slightest tendency to broach, although
(or
because of?) I had only one reef in the two ply main sail (there
were no
more reefs in that sail!). As my companion was seriously sea sick
for most
of the time, I did not dare to douse the sail all on my own under
those
circumstances.
After these experiences I had a lot of confidence in the boat, the
rig and
the steering gear. Sadly so, later that year the boat was severely
damaged
by a barge that drifted into the marina of Ponta Delgada in Sao
Miguel on
the Acores during a winter storm while I was at home in Germany.
The barge
pounded onto the rudder with such force, that the heavy stailess
end stops
you mentioned punctured the transom and almost sank the boat.
To make a long story short, it took my lawyer almost a year to
convince my
insurance company that the boat was a total loss, as there was no
boat yard
on that island that could have repaired all the damages to the
hull and
rudder. I could not do it myself because I had to get back to my
job after
taking half a year off.
So much about the virtues of a transom hung rudder on a F33.
So long, Peter