Can anyone explain what the function is of the notch and ring on the top of the rudder blade? There is nothing attached to while sailing. Is it perhaps used to secure the blade when having to remove the pivoting bold?

Dirk
The notch coincides with a hole in the stainless steel rudder stock and allows a pin to be put through, trapping the rudder in the full down position. This is good in that it removes reliance on the cam cleat (ours has let go occasionally) but you would have to remember to remove the pin when in shallow waters. Our notch does not have a fitting in it.
Ewan

Thank you Ewan. However, our rudder stock doesn’t have a hole I think.

It's the small hole just below the push-rod bracket. I think I see it in your photo.

I see it now. Great this forum! Learn a lot about my Parker. Thanks!

Notch in Rudder


Hi

When I acquired "Sulito" 325 it had a metal bolt that would slot into the notch

However Pascal (From Paimpol France, Maruli 325) suggested at the time that if you grounded hard you would either damage the rudder or the rudder stock. He used a wooden dowel (8mm) which in the event of grounding the rudder hard, the dowel will break and so protect the rudder and stock

I brought a length of 8mm round dowel from B&Q and cut several sacrificial lengths, just pine nothing special

I put a small hole in one end and tie on the back rail, works a treat. I am still on the original dowel 5 years later

But it does hold the rudder from popping up and if moving into shallow water you can release the cleat and the wooden dowel will hold the rudder in place. A very sensible option, we can thank Pascal for his idea

Regards

Barry Tiernan

That’s a very good idea. I will also buy a length of 8mm dowel and remove the current clamp from the top of the rudder blade.
I already wondered how to keep the blade down while releasing the rudder downhaul in shallow water. I already had situations where I lifted the keel to a level where the rudder blade must have must have been the lowest point (about 1.20m). Fortunately the blade never touched a hard bottom so far.

I tried the suggestion to place a 8mm dowel through the hole in the rudder stock and the notch in the head of the rudder blade. However on Surprise these do not line up nicely. The only way to put a dowel in is to reame the notch by drilling a hole through the existing hole.

Hi Dirk


I can see your difficulity. Cant explain the difference. I must look at another 325 in our club to see if it is different. I presume the rudder is fully dowm, Mine is approx 1.4 m when fully down

regards


Barry (Sulito)

Yes, the rudder of Surprise was fully down at the picture. From one of the photos of my rudder it looks like the hole of the central bolt was perhaps not exactly in the center of the rubber insert in the rudder blade
I will think about drilling a hole to fit a dowel and finish the top of the rudder blade with an epoxy coat to prevent ingress of water

Hi Dirk

Blue Moon came with one of those little clam cleats that are designed to pop open if they get sudden strain. I assumed they were a standard fitting on all 325/335s but perhaps not if you don't have one. Slightly more expensive than dowel but less likely to cause the rudder any damage before operating, and easy to reset. If I am running shallow I make a point of taking the rope out of the big cam cleat and let the little clam cleat take the strain.

Peter

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Surprisingly, I don't think Parkers ever fitted the releasing clam cleat, I have no idea why.
Incidentally we have a similar set up to yours but without the backup cam cleat and have never had the rudder pop up inappropriately in the past 15 years or so.

Martin
335/50

Hi
Currently in Dunkirk, tomorrow weather permitting, currently blowing F7. Oostende, then Vlissingen.
Dirk I have the same arrangement, with a 2GM I have too lock my rudder down as I kicks up slightly making the tiller very heavy.
I can show you this at the weekend...
Peter Lowry
Sophia, also a blue hull .

Hi Peter, I know this piece of quick release cleat. I had it previously on my Randmeer, a 6,5m dinghy with a keel-daggerboard and a swiveling rudderblade.
I think this piece of equipment is not original on the Parker 325/335 but was put on by the previous owner. However I think it is useful.
Whether the rudder blade kicks up also depends on how tight the blade is in the rudder stock. Of course the blade has to move freely whenever needed.

Hi Peter,

The wind drops from 7Bft to 5Bft after 11 am according to Windy. Hope you have a good sail to Oostende and to Vlissingen on Thursday. Hope to see you there.