Ida Sailor rudder assembly now can be customized

[Salty19]

Doing some research on a soon to be acquired CP19, I found IDA sailor now offers customized Unifoil Rudder assemblies.

On the CP16 I just sold, I bought this assembly (rudder, gidgeon, tiller, kickup) but didn't have an option to customize it. I did request a shorter tiller and they did that.

However the tiller height was about 2" too much so I had to grind off some metal on the tang that set the height to lower it down a bit. No biggie.

But now, you can tailor the tiller height and lenght, the transom angle, and desired draft.  They also ask for specific measurements on the transom and gidgeon/pintle-presuming for best accuracy or deviation between models?

http://www.idasailor.com/worksheets/transom_worksheet.html

I know not a lot of folks have this full assembly.  They are $479 for a 16, $599 for a 19, etc so not cheap.  

However the merits of this rudder assembly are enormous.  Of course you get the NACA 0012 foil, but you also get a very nice air assisted "shock" that keeps the rudder down unless it hits something. It then pushes itself back down after the obstacle is clear. To me, this is huge not having to reach back over and fiddle with the rudder (my back hates me when I do this).  Teh SS gideon appears very stout showing no signs of deteriation after 3 years. And I like the fact that you pull on rope to raise or lower the rudder during mooring. Keeps it clean!

The "standard" circa 2007 CP16 assembly has a draft of APPROXIMATELY 24" below the waterline (6 inches more than the keel).
The performance is outstanding and I don't think it needed to be any shorter or longer ratio wise.

So I may go with the same ratio on the new 19 assembly which would be 32". Then again that sounds like a bit much!

Another benefit for off-shore sailors is since you get an entire assembly, the original assembly can be used as backup.
If you want the best rudder assembly out there, take a look at this one...
P.S. No I don't work for them or represent them...just a very happy customer who is buying it again for another boat!

Here a couple of pics of the CP16 Rudder assembly with custom mast crutch.

[kchunk]

Looking at your rudder in you pictures, what is the rudder core made out of? It appears to be white like the plastic the foil is made from (surely it's not).

Anyway, the Ida foil is a great rudder, HOWEVER...at least on my older rudder, I bent mine twice! Once entering Ponce Inlet from the Altantic with an outbond tide and a nasty following sea, the other time when caught in a storm off Long Key. While the foil provides a great "power steering" effect, if we make this Bahama trip this season I think I'll opt for the more stout factory blade to cross the gulfstream.

---my 2¢

[Salty19]

Did you have the assembly or just the rudder replacement?

The rudder is solid HDPE. The assembly looks pretty strong to me. Is the older blade cored?

[kchunk]

Mine is the "old style" replacement blade using the factory rudder head.



I would think yours must have a core. I can't imagine the rudder being solid plastic. Try looking through it with the sun behind it. On mine I can clearly see the entire aluminum core. First time I bent it I spoke Joel at Ida Sailor. He did tell me they changed the cores in the replacement rudders and now use a different alloy (not as soft).

--Greg

[Salty19]

nope, the IDA website says it's solid HDPE

[kchunk]

Well, cool. Maybe it will be the right combination of rigidity and flexibility.

If i were you, though, I'd throw the old rudder in the attic rather than the recycle bin...just in case.

--Greg

[Craig Weis]

He is right. All that IdaSailor Rudder stuff is really a cool set up. BTW it's not really plastic. It is made of CNC cut solid HDPE. The blade weight 3 pounds more on land but 3 pounds less in the water then the aluminum flat plate from Com-Pac [on a C-P 19]. The HDPE rudder is a 'great rudder' mainly for two reasons... it's foil, and the fact that a portion of the rudder is below and in front of the rudder pins [bolts] giving that 'power steering' feeling by being a bit balanced when travailing fwd through the water.

How ever very tired of dinking with the 'hold down nut' I drilled and inserted a sheer bolt from a snowblower first stage...and locked her down. Got rid of the pull rope. I don't want all that hanging on the transom and fouling up things, ready to pinch my fingers and give me grief. I remind myself to KISS. I like this rudder because it hangs a few centimeters above the bottom of the keel, so the keel hits first and that is OK because I fabricated and glued on my KEEL BOOT of 6 mm aluminum to take the scrapes and knocks. Saving my fiberglass keel bottom.

The assembly looks pretty strong to me. Is the older blade cored? Yes, the IdaSailor blade is cored and bolted onto the rudder's aluminum head. Mine is.

skip

[Salty19]

Well I'll be ordering this bad boy here in a day or two and decided on a 30" rudder draft.  The reason I chose this is as follows:

1.) Close to the same boat length/rudder length ratio as the CP16 assembly they made for me which offers outstanding performance (best modification I made to that boat!).
2.) Keel draft is 24", I want the rudder to hit first-and as early as possible to let me know I'm approaching shallow water before the keel wacks the bottom.
3.) Best performance possible while keeping overall draft down to reasonable amounts.  For some, the 30" may still be way too long.
4.) The lake where I sail is not shallow.  It's 20-90 feet except very close to the shore of course. I can barely beach in the 16 so I don't expect to beach on the 19 anyway.
5.) I can always cut some off and sand it down to the profile if it's too long but I can't extend it if it's too short.

If there is interest, I can post the "build" sheet for reference.  It may make it easier for the next person to order this. Let me know if anyone wants to see it...

[Craig Weis]

I'm afraid I would want the keel to hit bottom first. Not the rudder. But that's just me. My keel is armored against rocks. The rudder will snap the shear bolt I installed, probably hangs down below the keel anyway, he whispers, 'cause of my big fat butt astern. LOL
More rudder then needed is a drag.

skip.