[Rhodes22-list] Rudders-loss overboard

[Bill Effros]

Right you are, Mike!

You're in shallow water in a rough sea.  A wave hits and suddenly you're 
8 feet above the bottom.  Then it passes and your stern gets slammed 
down toward a 2 foot high, uncharted rock.  Your rudder comes right down 
on the rock.

Yup, it happened to me, and I was very happy when the rudder popped out 
of the gudgeons.  Had it not, it might well have taken the transom off 
the boat as Stan suggested, or at least yanked the gudgeons out of the 
boat leaving below the waterline holes and no rudder if I wasn't holding on.

I have lost the rudder in various conditions, but I have a rule about 
the rudder always being tied on or held by someone or something, so I 
have never totally lost it.  (Pun intended.)

I don't like completely captive rudders--I think you lose the ability to 
adjust in emergencies, and there will be emergencies.

My procedure for rudder emergencies is to bring the rudder completely on 
board, (I find there is ample adrenaline produced in this situation to 
accomplish this task single handed when required) lower the motor, and 
steer with the motor shaft.  If you know how to loosen the tension on 
the motor head you can steer all day while sailing and using only the 
shaft until you get back home.  There is not enough steerage to come 
about, you must gibe, but you can easily control the boat without the 
rudder.

Bill Effros

Michael D. Weisner wrote:
> Is it ever desirable to have the rudder assembly easily detachable, without
> tools and me dangling overboard?  Is it a good idea to firmly attach the
> rudder, just in case of an emergency, like hanging up on a submerged line or
> mooring?  Just wonderin'
>
> Mike
> s/v Shanghai'd Summer
>
>
> From: "Rob Lowe" <rlowe at vt.edu>
>   
>> Someone showed me the trick of taking a metal hose clamp and putting it on
>> pintle and tightening it down once the rudder was mounted.  Keeps the
>>     
> rudder
>   
>> from popping out.
>>
>> Rob Lowe
>> S/V Getawa
>>     
>
>
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