Been wanting a new rudder for years. Can't wait to try it. The boat is in the water and the trailer at the shop having new fenders installed, so unless I don the wetsuit and wade in, I'll have to wait.
Carl,
I installed one of those on my SunDayCat two seasons ago.
Helpful at slow speeds or large angle of attack, such as around the dock.
Be cautious that the mounting hole is in the right location.
Mine was not pre-drilled, took some care to get it properly located.
The head perimeter was shaped differently than the Com-Pac rudder was.
Regards, Roland
I really want a foiled rudder for my 19 and new-to-me 16, but I had thought that it wouldnt be too hard to fabricate. There was another thread about doing such a project, but looking at yours it seems like its more than simply adding some material to an existing rudder, as the shape and balance are quite different.
Do you think its worth the not insignificant cost?
Also, what do you think of adding an outboard linkage to steer the outboard thrust together with the rudder? I've seen it done on a pretty good number of boats, particularly wood/handmade ones.
Quote from: Amedaius on March 03, 2026, 08:27:08 AMI really want a foiled rudder for my 19 and new-to-me 16, but I had thought that it wouldnt be too hard to fabricate. There was another thread about doing such a project, but looking at yours it seems like its more than simply adding some material to an existing rudder, as the shape and balance are quite different.
Do you think its worth the not insignificant cost?
Also, what do you think of adding an outboard linkage to steer the outboard thrust together with the rudder? I've seen it done on a pretty good number of boats, particularly wood/handmade ones.
Just my 2 cents on linking the outboard to the rudder. I tried this om my eclipse for a bit. It did work well for "cruising" under power. What it didn't do well with was very tight maneuvering around docs, marinas, etc. as it limited rotation of the outboard. Also, I mainly trailer sail and depth at most ramps requires the rudder to be raised to unload/load. What I found that works well for me is when I need to maneuver in shallow waters or a marina setting I rais the rudder and use the outboard alone. It can swing the boat around in a circle no more than the boat's length. When cruising under power I lock the outboard straight ahead (My Tohatsu has a screw and clamp that tightens to hold it in position) and just use the rudder to steer.
I think Slode is spot on. Big advantage of the outboard is that you can use it as a stern thruster in tight maneuvers dockside when there isn't significant flow over the rudder, it just adds drag at that point.
Those are some good points. I think the boats I've seen it done on the concern wasn't only for steering, but also for keeping the prop from impacting the rudder, but I doubt it would be an issue on most Compacs if they have a decent transom mount.