rudder modification

[Bob Condon]

Rudders that I have seen that are foamed/glassed have the structural
middle in steel and not aluminum. I think this is a strength issue and probably
a dissimilar metals issue - After my vacation, I hope to cut the foam on a N/C machine
with foam and try a foil....

[NateD]

My rudder knicked a rock last week and was tilted up a few degrees, I didn't notice it when it happened and we were having a heck of a time going to wind. I finally noticed the rudder was up a little, pushed it back down, and windward performance increased greatly. I'm a complete novice in terms of sailboat design, but could adding another inch or two onto the rudder when you build the foil improve the performance even further? Is the Ida rudder a few inches longer than the stock? Could that help explain the increased windward performance people report with the Ida?

[Craig Weis]

I became tired of 'locking down the rudder bolt after a rudder kicked up from seaweed, the bottom, and what have you.

And for years I kept thinking of ways to keep the IdaSailor rudder down and a wee bit forward to take advantage of it's balanced rudder traits....I don't like to fight a hard tiller with ANY of the rudder kicked up.

So I drilled a hole clean through the rudder casting and the alum blade stabbing my plastic foiled rudder blade and bolted in a snowblower sheer bolt.

After all the rudder is behind and at about the same level as the keel on my 19. No big deal. I have hit rocks before and I have my 6mm armor alum plate 'Keel Boot' glued to the bottom to save my glass.
Reversing the hull with the engine makes chopped broccoli out of the stuff on the prop.
skip.