Emergency rudder

[PabloPicasso]

If a boat loses its rudder how hard would it be to deploy a steering oar as a substitute.? Many modern yachts have spade rudders, so if lost it would be difficult to hang a replacement over the stern? Or am I incorrect in that?

Perhaps a blade attached to the spin pole would do? How big a blade, and how long a pole would be needed in relation to the boat?

 

[rob2]

It's worth thinking it through and planning it out. There have been a few reports, articles and sea trials in PBO over the last year which may inspire you toward a solution. By definition, a spade rudder must be forward of the transom, so anything rigged over the stern will have a greater lever, being further from the centre of lateral resistance. The spinnajer pole may well suffice if you don't have too much freeboard, but it is essential that you have a good lever or you will not be able to move the blade, or at least it will be too tiring to be effective. The most effective DIY solution will do great damage to the furniture in your cabin as you build cheeks with holes drilled for lashings as a pivot (bunk boards) and a blade (possibly the heads door). Alternatively as you are thinking about it, build an emergenct rudder, test it and carry the kit when going offshore. You may still use the bunk boards as they are easy to replace after the event and still work with a few holes in them, but can at least save the heads door! It's quite possible that the only extra bits will stow under the bunk cushions, too.

One of the articles shows how just such a rudder was built and deploy, lashed to the pushpit rails, getting the casualty 12M IIRC to shore in Biscay. There was also a "preview" test of a rudder kit with steering lines taken to the main winches. Earlier tests were done using a "Viking" oar - a bit of ply on a spinnaker pole with and without a skeg mounting. Could even be worth getting a few reprints!

Rob

Rob

 

[macd]

Follow this thread and associated links and you'll get a very good idea of what happens in practice on an ocean crossing: http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?296987-Lost-rudder-in-mid-Atlantic/

For the most part steering was accomplished by towing drogues.

The thread concludes with the couple reaching St Lucia unharmed. A few months later a new rudder arrived.

 

[Seajet]

I have a rowlock fitted on the transom coaming, but even with my boat's low freeboard aft a standard 6' oar for the tender would be too short.

Luckily some of the wooden bunk tops are simple drop-in jobs rather than hinged and have finger / ventilation holes which help greatly in lashing up into a rudder blade.

I have a scheme in mind using the spinnaker pole with these clamped to the end.

I've tried it all on the mooring and it was fine then, but it's hard to simulate a real rudder emergency when the proper transom hung rudder is still there, and I think most boats will struggle with a lash-up like this if the original rudder is flapping around uncontrolled or worse, jammed to one side.

The rudder and fittings on my boat are immensely strong so in my case I think the most likely serious bother would be hitting something very hard, which may well result in damage to the transom; so having that area divided off watertight seems an important part of any planning.

 

[ziacek]

If a boat loses its rudder how hard would it be to deploy a steering oar as a substitute.? Many modern yachts have spade rudders, so if lost it would be difficult to hang a replacement over the stern? Or am I incorrect in that?

Perhaps a blade attached to the spin pole would do? How big a blade, and how long a pole would be needed in relation to the boat?

One of the most elegant emergency rudders is here: http://www.selfsteer.com/products/sos/index.php

 

[AndrewB]

Because rudder failure does seem to be a quite frequent problem, I experimented with emergency rudders on my old boat, mainly with a quartering sea which as well as being the most difficult for steady steering, is what you mostly plan for on long-distance voyages. Having a longish keel the boat naturally tracked well, which helped.

The 'blade on a spinnaker pole' option really didn't work. It was hard work to use, and maintain at the correct angle, even when controlled by a line led from each quarter to the blade.

Towing drogues was hardly steering, though it did keep the boat moving in one direction.

The 'Aries' windvane blade, partly released so it was free to pivot through a larger angle than normal, was too small to be effective, except for courses close on the wind.

The most satisfactory solution was a light-weight ladder, lashed vertically to the pushpit and a wind-vane fitting low on the stern, using a cabin door as a blade. With an impromptu tiller it was reasonably easy to use, though during the test the back-stay got in the way. After that we kept the ladder permanently stored along the guard rails. It also proved handy in boat yards which didn't have enough ladders, as a passarelle, and as a trestle when cleaning/repainting the hull.

I also had a small hole drilled in the back of the rudder blade, to which a rope could be tied and led to winches on either side. That was just about workable assuming the rudder was still in position and movable.

Nothing worked though in a scenario in which the rudder had become firmly jammed to one side, (or probably equivalently, a badly bent shaft). The rudder was attached to a skeg, so could not be easily dropped off. As an experiment I tried undoing this attachment while at sea, by diving down. Possible, but only in very calm conditions.

 

[pcatterall]

+1 for Rob2s idea to 'read up' and plan how you could do this with stuff mainly already on board and a few smaller items that you may have to buy and store for this contingency.

 

[Resolution]

When I used to race Sigma 33s one of the class requirements was to have alternative steeringand to demonstrate upon inspection just how it would work. Most of us had a bunk board pre-drilled to take big U bolts around the spinnaker pole. Easy to put together. The big problem was then how to make a strong pivot point on the transom, and also how to control movement of the inboard end of the pole. Even with lots of string and fit muscle power, my guess is that in any real sea it would have been impossible to keep the blade in the water and straight.

I would second the value of the hole drilled in the upper aft blade of the rudder. On a previous yacht our rudder broke whilst reaching in strong winds. The stainless steel frame in side the rudder suffered a weld failure and parted. However the rudder was still attached by bits of fibreglass and we dived down and with a cats cradle of ropes got it back nearly in position. A pre-drilled hole would have enabled us to pivot it just enough to gain some steerage for short distances.

 

[ben_m]

The articles to which Rob2 refers are now available to read on the PBO website:

http://www.pbo.co.uk/seamanship/jury-steering-oh-rudder-where-art-thou-25156
http://www.pbo.co.uk/reviews/safety-devices/oceansteer
http://www.pbo.co.uk/seamanship/using-an-emergency-tiller-25196

 

[AndrewB]

+1 for Rob2s idea to 'read up' and plan how you could do this with stuff mainly already on board and a few smaller items that you may have to buy and store for this contingency.

Not to knock it, but reading up is just one part of a plan. Trying it out is the other! Just like MOB drill, heavy weather management, or any other emergency procedure. What works in theory, doesn't always in practice, and different boats repond in different ways.

 

[Wansworth]

Whatvaboutva steerboard aka vessels before the centre line rudder evolved..... could be held in position with a cats cradle of lines and maybe an already planned arm as required.

 

[Boo2]

I would second the value of the hole drilled in the upper aft blade of the rudder. On a previous yacht our rudder broke whilst reaching in strong winds. The stainless steel frame in side the rudder suffered a weld failure and parted. However the rudder was still attached by bits of fibreglass and we dived down and with a cats cradle of ropes got it back nearly in position. A pre-drilled hole would have enabled us to pivot it just enough to gain some steerage for short distances.

I have heard of a short length of chain in the middle of a rope being used for the same purpose : the chain grips the rudder trailing edge and the rope ends pull it central using winches.

Boo2

 

[Poignard]

Here's a nice description of a rudder repair at sea

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id...#v=onepage&q=cutty sark rudder repair&f=false

 

[fisherman]

If you think you may need one I suggest something solid is prepared, not a vague idea involving bunk boards. With a transom it would be easy to have pintles already fitted and a rudder to suit. However, in heavy weather that would be difficult to fit and a long sweep and chock/pin/crutch might be needed, even have a fitting already on a suitable spar/ spin pole.
The Raz de Sein bass fishermen have an underslung balanced rudder to forward wheel steering and a simple transom mounted one also for when they are aft working.
When my rudder came adrift (note to self: don't use nylocks twice) I came home with a drogue (round buff or danbuoy) trailing on the landing derrick swung out to stbd, the boat screws to port, I stood aft and hauled it in and out, very effective. If you can't rig a blade then a drogue off a spar lashed to a pushpit support might work. A round buoy or fender drags very effectively.

 

[AndrewB]

I have heard of a short length of chain in the middle of a rope being used for the same purpose : the chain grips the rudder trailing edge and the rope ends pull it central using winches.

Won't it just slide up and tend to jam in the gap between rudder and hull? Which might leave things worse than ever. For that reason I rejected the idea of welding a downward facing hook on the rear edge of the rudder which in theory would 'catch' a piece of chain or knotted rope, without needing to go overboard to fix it on. OK if kept absolutely taut, but might slip out if allowed slack.

 

[fisherman]

Do you all have an emergency tiller which fits the top if the rudder shaft?

 

[Boo2]

Do you all have an emergency tiller which fits the top if the rudder shaft?

I find it hard to imagine what use such a thing would be ? The obvious emergencies involving rudder failure would seem to be either a bent shaft or a broken internal framework allowing it to move on the shaft. Neither of these situations is helped in any way by a spare tiller.

I suppose there are boats out there where tiller failure could happen but on my boat it is very doubtful IMHO and I would expect sufficient of the tiller stock would be left to permit something to be bolted to it anyway.

Boo2

 

[rogerthebodger]

Do you all have an emergency tiller which fits the top if the rudder shaft?

That is a legal requirement on all boats with wheel steering where I sail.

I am also modifying my Monitor self steering gear to have an auxiliary rudder that can be steered with a tiller similar to the one posted early, if need be.

 

[fisherman]

I find it hard to imagine what use such a thing would be ? The obvious emergencies involving rudder failure would seem to be either a bent shaft or a broken internal framework allowing it to move on the shaft. Neither of these situations is helped in any way by a spare tiller.

I suppose there are boats out there where tiller failure could happen but on my boat it is very doubtful IMHO and I would expect sufficient of the tiller stock would be left to permit something to be bolted to it anyway.

Boo2

True enough, never needed mine on this boat. In a different boat previously had a broken wire, and once the wheel fell off, while going in over Hayle bar in a ground sea. Fortunately poked it back on otherwise would have been curtains. I would have to remove the deck plate and drop the tiller on the square shaft end. last year I had the ram drop off, don't know why, been checking it since and no problems. I was able to cruise slow ahead upwind and offshore and refit it, (crawling under the deck, 2ft high and ten feet back) but again, could have been severe trouble and have to use the emergency tiller in different circumstances, for instance if I was amongst the shipping lanes.

 

[ghostlymoron]

What about an Oceansteer? Did well in recent tests. The only problem I can see is it can't be connected to an Autopilot.