hi
has anyone had any experience of making an emergency rudder for the 285
one which is not necessarily full size but adequate to get you home.
i was thinking of using 18mm ply but not sure of minimum dimensions for the job
grateful for any advice

regards
charles clements

charles clements

Spartacus 285

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Interesting question - not only relevant to 285s! On my 21 I have a little rudder which reaches down just as far as the bottom of the prop and which I use if the water is too shallow for the proper blade. It pivots on the same bolt as the main blade but is on the outside of the stock cheek.

For an emergency rudder you need to guess what gave way to give rise to the need! The most likely rudder problem would be the failure of the downhaul letting the rudder bob up to horizontal with big forces needed to steer. These might next lead to the tiller breaking off at the stock! Maybe a spare tiller is a more likely need than a spare rudder.

Then there is the bottom pintle attachment to the transom. Mine has started to creak a bit (I think) and a check today showed I could get about one turn up on all 4 of the bolts - not sure what they're screwed into :o(

If that lets go then it's the dinghy oar over the quarter I suppose. If you haven't left them in the dinghy on the mooring as I usually do!

Of all the parts of the Parker rudder arrangement I would have thought the blade would be the least likely to fail.

Geoff Harwood 21/30 Cygnus

My 275 has an extra rudder blade for use in shallow water. There are two rails attached to the rudder stock and when shimmying about in 2 foot of water I pull the main blade up and drop the dagger board in. This is fine for steering but attracts a lot of shouts of "your rudder's up!". I'll take a pic if you like.
By the way see the earlier thread about the welding on the stock box - I had mine redone a year or so ago as it was coming apart at the bottom of the box near the lower gudgeon.

Kate

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thanks very much for your comments
would be grateful for a photo Kate and dimensions of plate
regards
charles

charles clements

Spartacus 285

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hi geoff
intrigued by your 'shallow 'rudder
does it have its own uphaul/downhaul or is it managed more simply
my rudder hits the mud sometimes as i am coming /leaving mooring in a metre of water or thereabouts. Since fitting a spinlock on the downhaul at least i can release it under load.but if the wind is blowing half a rudder puts quite a strain on the tiller trying to steer the boat.
can you supply more details of how you operate it?

best wishes
charles

charles clements

Spartacus 285

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