What's the point?????

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Steve K
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What's the point?????

Post by Steve K »

As many of you know, I owned a 26X some years ago. I now sail a 26D.

Anyway, I was reading the thread about daggerboard damage (My D has a daggerboard also) and a thought came to me.......... (first time today ;) )

What, exactly is the point of having a kick-up rudder on a daggerboard boat????????????

Now, I'm thinking how much easier it would to fabricate a one piece (non kick-up) rudder like the one my Catalina 22 had. And, I'm also thinking how much simpler the rudder on my Catalina was and how it had no play, or slop, or never made any thunking noises and how light it was and how responsive the steering was.

In any case, share your thoughts about this with me.
SK
eric3a

Post by eric3a »

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Last edited by eric3a on Tue Mar 11, 2008 10:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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parrothead
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Post by parrothead »

Steve,

I'd have to say that it depends on the depth of the water where you dock or launch (if trailer-sailing). At our previous marina, I could not have gotten in or out of the slip - or the ramp - at low tide with the rudders down on our 26M.

Doug
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Night Sailor
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Post by Night Sailor »

I once had a 14' Sportabout sloop with a daggerboard and a kickup rudder. The kickup sure came in handy once. Three of us overspent our picnic time on a spoil island in Pamlico Sound photographing Black Skimmers, because we had caught the wind wing and wing and surfed the boat for about two miles into the sound from a barrier island and didn't plan enough time to sail back. Then the wind dropped to just a few mph. By the time we got half way back to our camp the water was only deep in the channels, which were filled with very large, very fast, very deep draft charter boats throwing 3 or 4 ft bow waves returning for the day with their catch. Of course they would not slow down for us. We were forced to wade sometimes, to sail in 2 foot deep water when we could. Half the 4' daggerboard down and relying on the 24'" deep rudder to kick up saved our necks as it was falling dark, and we had no charts or lights. We've learned a lot since those days about preparedness, but we still value the kickup rudder for shallow water operation.
LOUIS B HOLUB
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Post by LOUIS B HOLUB »

Hi Steve,
I like the "kick up" rudder method because of so many shallows in my area. I can sail into any place with no concerns. I hear my CB, and rudders drag in mud (& bump underwater stuff) fairly often, and have seen mud on the raised rudder when back at my slip. NO fears of beaching either. My prev. boat, a 26-S, had a swing rudders & DB, so it worked as well as (& handled better than)my current "X" boat.

My depth/fish finder frequently shows 2' & 3' in areas of my lake that adjoins my sailing areas in Galveston Bay. I often see fixed keel boats stuck .
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Steve K
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Post by Steve K »

Thanks guys ;)

I can see pros and cons.
I think, particularly, when beaching the kick up rudder comes in handi (a situation when daggerboard is retracted completely) And while reading your responses, I thought of shallow water sailing where, perhaps the water is so thin that I'd be sailing with daggerboard partially retracted (which I do on occasion).

So, I guess, for now anyway, I'll keep the kick-up style rudder.

SK
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Terry
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Post by Terry »

Am I missing something...??
My M rudders do not kick up, I can pull them up on their pivot point to just use the engine but when they are down I have them cleated off so they would not ever kick up. Now if they were daggerboard style like the daggerboard is they could be adjusted for varying depths just like the daggerboard can be.
If I ran aground I would prefer the stronger daggerboard stop me than the rudders hit as they would break much easier than the daggerboard would. I have my daggerboard line marked at a point where the depth would match the rudders just so that the rudders never hit bottom first.
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Chip Hindes
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Post by Chip Hindes »

Am I missing something...??
Yes.

Many of us have substituted bungee cord for the rudder holddown pennants. There are also cleats specifically designed for rudder holddowns or various other homemade methods which allow them to kick up when they hit something.

More useful on the X where the rudders kick up a few seconds after the centerboard, but useful for the M as well when the DB is partially or fully retracted.
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argonaut
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Post by argonaut »

Terry,
In skinny water like Florida we like the kick up feature.
My X has the terrific "bungee cord" mod that lets the rudders angle back and drag till you're off.

One cleating technique lets them pop up horizontal, but the rudders pointing aft after the knots pop makes the boat a devil to steer and then you have to pull down & recleat each one.

Even on a stony bottom I'd prefer they drag and self-adjust to having to tinker with 'em. Besides I'm good with marine-tex now! :)
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Post by baldbaby2000 »

What, exactly is the point of having a kick-up rudder on a daggerboard boat????????????
Without the ability to pull my rudders up I wouldn't own my M. Among the other trailerable sailboats I've considered is the Catalina 25 with the swing keep option. Although it's a nice sailboat, there were several reasons I didn't want one. One of the main ones was the lack of a retractable rudder. The boat can't be beached.

Daniel
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