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Red Witch Rudder

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Created by ozza925 > 9 months ago, 12 Jan 2010
ozza925
WA, 32 posts
12 Jan 2010 5:53PM
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Just went out today sailing in my redwitch from fremantle to cockburn sound and back, great sail beat to windward for first hour an half, turned around at one p.m set small kite in 16-18kts of breeze and started surfing all the way back to freo, boat speed 12kts .
on a wave starting to surf, correcting with the rudder, when it sheared off clean in two, at the bottom gudgeon.
This is the second time it's happened, in the same circumstances, the first rudder was already broken with extensive repairs. However today, the homemade rudder we were using was a temporary rudder whilst we get another made; 30mm shaped marine ply with two coats of glass, and it sheared clean in two!!!
has this happened to anyone before on a stern hung rudder on a 20-24ft boat?

Ramona
NSW, 7758 posts
13 Jan 2010 8:46AM
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ozza925 said...

Just went out today sailing in my redwitch from fremantle to cockburn sound and back, great sail beat to windward for first hour an half, turned around at one p.m set small kite in 16-18kts of breeze and started surfing all the way back to freo, boat speed 12kts .
on a wave starting to surf, correcting with the rudder, when it sheared off clean in two, at the bottom gudgeon.
This is the second time it's happened, in the same circumstances, the first rudder was already broken with extensive repairs. However today, the homemade rudder we were using was a temporary rudder whilst we get another made; 30mm shaped marine ply with two coats of glass, and it sheared clean in two!!!
has this happened to anyone before on a stern hung rudder on a 20-24ft boat?


Two faults here with your rudder, plywood and fibreglass. Try building one out of strips of suitable wood, Tasmanian oak or similar and sheath it with epoxy resin and cloth. Plenty of websites with info such as the West System etc. If you insist on using plywood then sheathing in epoxy resin and cloth with a layup of carbon fibre in the stress area will help.



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"Red Witch Rudder" started by ozza925