I think it was rushing the boat. The boat was originally scheduled to be finished for the Annapolis boat show but was nowhere near complete by then. It was still a work in progress when they "sea trialed" it in late December - the rudders were put in place as the boat was being launched. I bet the owner pressured to get it in the Caribe for the winter season, and that also rushed the completion.

Without doubt those rudders are a bad design and execution. However, any missing hardware in their installation was unlikely cutting corners or cost savings, and more likely installation error. I believe the same with the windows, hatches, battens, etc. Including the engine and generator starting - Doane's account only mentions pumping out small amounts of "moisture" from compartments, with the rate of ingress not "at all alarming" and only needing a minute or so of pumping every 1.5hrs. This is a very long way from breached engine compartments and flooded starter motors, etc that is being blamed. Like all the other small problems, the engine and electrical problems too were most likely installation error.

Compounded by them not doing any realistic type of shakedown or systems testing and pushing the boat to get to the Caribe from the Northern Atlantic in January. Frankly, what happened to them is exactly how I would have laid my bets, and the owners do share some blame for these choices and problems.

I'm not an engineer, but your rudder stock sounds over-built to me. Our catamaran, which is smaller and lighter than the Alpha 42 has 2" solid rod rudder stocks. It seems like in your calculations, even that is undersized?

Mark