Emergency steps on rudder

[Mirelle]

I think they would be impractical at best and very dangerous for the rest of the time, on a boat with fine ends, like yours and mine, due to the pitching motion of the boat. OK on a boat with a motorboat type flat stern, like most AWBs, in quiet conditions.

 

[Roach1948]

I have a book of yacht design's from the 30's written by Harrison Butler and practically all his yachts with a transom stern have a rudder step fashioned in. So they must have worked back then for him to include them at design stage. You have me thinking now as my rudder is not painted yet and maybe I should add a step or two.

 

[Mirelle]

Funnily enough my last boat was an "illegitimate" Harrison Butler (built from pirated plans - no royalty paid).

 

[Peterduck]

As I've been reading this thread it occurred to me that one could fashion steps ito the trailing edge of a rudder if one had a transom or scandinavian stern. The rudder would then look like a very steep stair in profile. This would confer a secondary benefit of putting the widest chord in the densest water. For those with a counter-sterned boat it would, of course be no use.
Peter.