C-26 New Rudder Design

amayotte · Post by **amayotte** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 2:52 pm

Hello,

I am a little curious about the rudder on the C-26.
I know that the way it's designed now it would hit the motor if it was up and the motor was down, which of course would be bad when the motor is running.
So what I was thinking is if a guy could make two stern mounted rudders, one starboard and one port of the motor. Both equa-distant from the center of the boat.
Would this affect the amount of control a person would have over the boat?

Has anyone done this before?

Adam

Gus · Post by **Gus** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 2:55 pm

I don't know about that. The rudder in the Chrysler 22 its fairly large and touches the motor when up (don't ask me how I know that) I guess if Halsey Herreshoff wanted two rudders in the boat, he would have designed it that way... just IMO

Gus

amayotte · Post by **amayotte** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 3:08 pm

I just can't figure out why he designed a boat that was good at dicing up a rudder when the motor is being used.
I have never personally sailed the C-26 but I looked at one for sale and the tip of the rudder on that particular one had scars from the motor. The owner acknowledged the issue and said you just have to be careful.
I think the C-26 is a beautiful boat but from and outsider looking in I think it's an area that was overlooked, and I am looking for a solution.

Adam

Gus · Post by **Gus** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 4:23 pm

Well, I do not to use the outboard to turn the boat, I use the rudder, and it has to be down to work properly. Now if your rudder its dragging in the bottom you can always put the rudder in a 45 degree angle, and it will still work just fine. Another thing that I think it might complicate matters, when you are on a tack, one of the rudders will probably be out of the water.

Gus

ronc98 · Post by **ronc98** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 4:24 pm

I have had the motor eat chunks from the rudder almost every time I sail. The worst is when the rudder kicks up while under power while you are coming to the dock. you loose the ability to turn. Bad bad bad.

I have three solutions.

First make a guard so the rudder does not get into the prop.

Limit the amount of the rudder can kick up by a few inches, this should keep it clear

Remove a 3"x3" triangle piece from the bottom aft of the rudder that should keep it out of the prop as well. I like this idea most just not sure how it will effect the rudders preformance.

Gus · Post by **Gus** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 5:17 pm

check the lines and cam-cleat in the tiller, my rudder never, never kicked up on its own (even while dragging on the bottom). I wanted to do a prop guard, but I never got around (should be easy to do, a strip of SS and some bolts)

Guillaume C. · Post by **Guillaume C.** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 10:01 pm

My C26 swing keel have a one-piece shoal-draft rudder. As I'm the only one with this model I guest it is not original but it work fine. If someone want to make one of those let me know and I'll get the measures

EmergencyExit · Post by **EmergencyExit** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 6:36 am

If you check over at
http://chryslersailing.lizards.net/sail ... acket.html

and scroll down to the pic of Magic Lady's stern, you'll see a shoal rudder there. Not sure how it performs at extreme heel angles ?

The prop guard is probably the simplest solution, although in theory if you've got no slack in the tiller line and it is cleated, it shouldn't be able to come up.

Since the rudder does naturally want float up and back if a control line breaks or comes loose, I have considered neutralizing that tendency by running a stainless spring or two from the front top of the rudder to a pin up in the post. Just enough tension to overcome that bouyancy, put not so much that you can't raise the rudder if needed.

But dual rudders, I don't know so much about - as long as they are, and as narrow as the stern is, they'd still hit the prop during a tight come about anyway, and I'd guess the boat would be way tweaky on the tiller with twice the turning surface.

Leeway · Post by **Leeway** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 7:36 am

I'm not a C26 sailor, but I was reading the post and thought I would put my 2 cents in.

Instead of trying to reinvent the wheel (or prop guard in this case), there are ready to install prop guards out on the market already. In fact, there is even a company out there called Prop Guard that manufactures high impact polypropylene guards. They claim adding their guard not only makes the boat more safe, but also improves performance.

I'm sure there are others out there as well, this one just seamed like the best solution to me.

ronc98 · Post by **ronc98** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:59 am

I like the sholl draft rudder but I think you are right about its effect when healed over more then 15 degrees.

Leeway

For me I would rather make the parts myself, As much as sailing is fun the upkeep on the boat is just as much fun, making peices and experimenting is just part of it. Plus it can be alot cheaper making it yourself.

Guillaume C. · Post by **Guillaume C.** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:17 pm

I did not test my boat under extreme healing, but the rail 6' above the water (maybe what.. 30 degree?) the shoal draft rudder worked allright

In theory the problem with shoal draft rudder would happen only if the transom of the boat is lifted over water. As long as it's under water it still have the same surface at the same angle as a deeper rudder, require quite bad condition IMO, but still possible

Gus · Post by **Gus** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:30 pm

I've got the rudder out of the water a couple of times, and when that happens, the boat rounds up into the wind.

Chrysler20%26 · Post by **Chrysler20%26** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 12:41 am

I have ben thinking of adding a rotter to the outboard. one that could go up an down. I found an old Chrysler sailer, it is a 15 hp. an has a 36'' saft. Yas 36'' the talest outbord I ever seen. If I ever get my 26' in the water,