Hi, I am a new PSSA member and first-time boat owner on a steep learning curve! I have recently purchased an early Seal 22 (Vital Spark / No. 139 - 1970) which is in need of some TLC and additional equipment now she is out of the water.

Could anyone please advise me about constructing an emergency rudder? We are in the process of renovating the original rudder which is serviceable but extremely heavy. I understand it is wise to have an emergency one too. What materials should be used for this? If we make it from marine ply how thick should it be?

Many thanks for reading this.

Jane Paul

I think most would agree with you that the 22 rudder blade is a bit heavy. That has resulted in some people replacing the plate with an aluminium one of the same size. At least one aluminium blade has snapped off due to some grades not having the fatigue strength of boiler plate!

So If the weight doesn't worry you too much you shouldn't need a backup to an iron plate.

Another solution to the problem has been to adapt the Parker 21/235 rudder to fit the 22. At least 2 22s now have 21 rudders with great success.

We are hoping that rudders are amongst the bits rescued from Parker Lift-Keel Yachts and hopefully Bruce will be able to keep us in rudders for a while.

Geoff

Thanks Geoff, that's very helpful - I don't want to fall foul of foreseeable problems once leaving the Crouch estuary when sailing in East Coast waters. Is any information available about adapting the Parker 21/235 rudder to fit an old Seal 22? Where could I get one?

Jane

Hello Jane
I do not know if the 22 rudder is built using the same principle as the 28 but there were similarities with the keel.
There have been many times when I have been thankful that the lifting rudder plate on Aztec was heavy and made out of galvanised steel.
Sometimes in some of the East Coast drying berths mud squeezes up into the cheeks of the rudder on Aztec making it dificult for the rudder blade to drop, the weight of the rudder and a little wiggling of the tiller from side to side always gets it down again.

Mike Edwards
Seal 28 "Aztec"

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This is how John Fennel did it on Toy Yot II (22/318) He just bought the blade from Bill Parker and had a couple of stainless plates cut to match the old 22 stock cheeks. He used the original 22 pintle and tiller fittings.

Geoff Harwood P21/30 Cygnus

Many thanks Mike and Geoff for your helpful replies, photo and advice. Much appreciated!

Jane

Hi All,

We have what I believe to be a standard issue marine ply rudder that seems to be disintegrating and we need to replace it with the metal type shown in the photo. This looks especially useful as the rudder sits out of the water as ours waggles when on the swinging mooring despite tieing the tiller off agains the cleets on either side.

Can I still obtain them from Parker and if so does anyone have a contact?

Thanks in advance

Mauerice/Sealesta.

Jane
I used to have a 22, my lump of steel was plated both sides with plywood, shaped to an areofoil, which almost makes it float, thus seeming lighter to lift. I later replaced it with a stainless stell plate, about 1/2 size, with holes as well, this plated up and glassed worked very well, and much lighter.
On my Jenneau Bahia I fabficated a 21 style rudder with aluminium stock and multi layer plywood shaped blade, glass covered. I took the pattern from a 21.
Philip

quote:

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[i]Can I still obtain them from Parker and if so does anyone have a contact?

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I understand that Bruce Parker has all the rescued spares from Parker Lift-Keel Yachts and will be trading as Bruce Parker Sailboats.

Bill undersatndably would rather not be pestered for the time being and Bruce doesn't yet seem to have a web presence or contact details.

Lets leave him to get sorted for a while and see what appears.

Geoff

Geoff/Phil,

Thanks very much for your help. I'll park it for now and will then try and obtain the stainless blade and the cheeks after Christmas. I do have some resources to hand that I may try and use myself to fabricate the neccesary components.

Thanks again.

Maurice Sealesta sail#15/seal 22

Thanks for this further advice and information.

Apologies for further questions but could someone please advise what thickness of stainless steel is best if this is used for the plating?

Philip, please could you clarify what is involved in glass covering?

Many thanks