Bent Rudder

[lweisman]

Coming into our shallow water mooring yesterday I ran the rudder aground with the tiller hard to port.  It got bent slightly, I'd say about 10 degrees off vertical in the raised position.  There is a slight horizontal bulge/wrinkle just below where the rudder attaches.  It's the commercially made faired rudder attached to the self raising rig (I don't recall the brand names, came with the boat).  Overall the rudder feels tight, no movement at that wrinkle line.  I'm inclined to use it the rest of the Vermont boating season and maybe replace it next year.  Any thoughts or advice?  I don't know what it's made of; is there a way I can repair that minor bend, should I bother? I could try and bend it back to straight I suppose by lashing it pulled sideways opposite the current bend.

It's been a fun and very 'instructive' sailing season for us this year as increasingly venturous 2nd year newbies; each sail I seemed to screw up in some new way (eg: fouled lines, fouled sails, fouled mooring lines, incorrectly rigged sails, missing cotter pins, blown down mast), each time it's one more important lesson to learn before heading out.  Our last two times out my wife and I braved 20-25 knot winds for the first time and the boat did great, and there were no major screw-ups at all...........until the mooring.  Put it on the list!
Lee

[Tim Gardner]

Pictures are worth a thousand words.

TG

[lweisman]

OK if I email some shots to you (or anyone else interested) directly?   I don't know how to post them here.  Things were kind of up in the air last time I checked.
Lee

[Tim Gardner]

Sure, Lee,

Email em to me at tigar100 at msn dot com

[lweisman]

Here's a photo (hopefully) looking straight down the tiller, showing the modest degree of bend in the rudder.    It still works/sails fine.  Should I try and bend it back somehow? 
Lee

[Bob23]

If it works fine, I'd use the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" approach. Aluminum weakens with each successive bend so trying to straighten it isn't a great idea.
Reading back to your first post here,  I can personally guarantee you won't run out of ways to screw up, at least I haven't. This summer being the 11th year that my 1982 23 has owned me, she's always amazed at my ability to find new ways to express my inability. She's a patient one, this boat of mine.

[tmw]

I'd wait until all the other projects with the boat and everything else is finished before attempting to fix that rudder.  Besides, now you have something to blame...
Admiral: Why did you run into that pier? 
Me: It must be that bent rudder...

[Bob23]

This bent rudder could be an unfair advantage on a triangular race course. Hmm!

[lweisman]

Thanks guys, good thoughts.  Can you tell me what the rudder is made of, or the company's name? (It's the aftermarket faired rudder with lifting system.)  We're sailing fine as is, new genoa tracks just installed, so much better than tying off at the stern cleats!.  Since my last posting I've at least learned to come in with the rudder set at half mast.  Might be my imagination that it now tacks a little better to starboard then to port. ;-)
Lee

[Bilgemaster]

I'd wait until all the other projects with the boat and everything else is finished before attempting to fix that rudder.  Besides, now you have something to blame...
Admiral: Why did you run into that pier? 
Me: It must be that bent rudder...

I like the way you think, TMW. Now EVERYONE'S gonna want a dinged-up rudder.

[deisher6]

Hey Lee:
Your rudder could be an Ida Rudder  https://ruddercraft.com/
We bought one for our C-16....they are a great piece of gear next to new sails.
Smooth Sailing.
regards charlie

[lweisman]

Thanks Charlie, Ida sounds right.  Real nice lift system and rudder,  but it doesn't self retract when you run it aground, as I found out.  Works quite well set at "half mast" for shallow water mooring, when I remember to raise it.
Fair winds,
Lee