Cruising Sailors Forum Archive

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• Interesting comment by Charles Doane on his blog
  • I saw that. The gremlins in that story are inside those rudders.
    • I propose a different (and more likely) failure mode...
      • Your hypothesis is plausible
  • I've been surprised by a couple of comments made in follow up to this event...
    • I'm not. The experts a thousand miles away always make the most noise.
      • You're right, of course - but I was actually thinking of Charlie's subsequent comments/clarifications (grin)
        • Ahh. Close reaching vs. fore reaching, 4 kts. vs. 6 kts. 'considerable discrepancies' between captain and crew?
          • Don't disagree with your first comment at all...
            • Don't forget the simple stuff, 2 rudders folded up on this new boat as it was going through the water.
              • Well, by the same token, don't ignore the obvious... (grin)
                • I think a new rudder should put up with any force the water applies.
                • Doane says the shaft was not bent.
                  • I think we're approaching "it depends what the meaning of 'IS' is" territory, here... (grin)
                    • I can see it
                      • Yes, it's finally occurred to me...
                        • While I don't think the description matches, one explanation
                    • Your picture isn't typical production rudder construction.
                      • Most of the spade rudders I have seen are not built as you describe
                        • A Bavaria rudder (whose skins peeled off)
                          • One more
                          • The skin was mostly removed on land, I hope?
                            • No, the skin was lost while just sailing along in nice conditions
                              • Amazing. Wonder if that was closed cell foam?
                        • Nevermind, I just reread your description
                          • DQ
                            • Wrapping it would allow more weld area...
                • It probably would have happened anyway
                  • Surfing 25 knots in reverse, isn't relevent to my point, Mark.
                    • Don't underestimate the forces...
                      • Yes, of course I have. And the rudder should be designed for this.
                    • I was agreeing with you Tom
                      • You are right - it should not...
                        • I would hope all of them do
                          • Would it be unreasonable to design a rudder that
                            • The forces in a seaway are very different than in "quite waters" situation
                      • Thanks. That rudder was built for the Spirit of Bermuda, a sail training vessel out of Bermuda.
    • Well Jon, as has been pointed out, I'm no engineer
  • Here's the cached page