supermalc
Well-Known Member
I've finally made a new rudder, and what a difference.
When I bought my boat, I was told by the owner to make a new steel rudder. A professional fisherman and boat builder, he had only had the boat a few weeks, as it proved unsuitable without serious modification for his needs.
I have now learned it is a Megavissey Tosher sailing boat, but made (not converted) into a small cruiser.
Well I used it with the original one, until I accidently broke it in ice. Just a thick patch had formed around my mooring, as there was none the other side of the lock.
The 'quick bodge' I did worked so well, I've used it since, and the boat still handled better than most, although the steering was hard and it turned to the right.
Well a couple of weeks ago, I had a short trip to a riverbank mooring, and when leaving, pulled the boat backwards to the bank. It had drifted with the wind, and that part of the bank was sloping, so I couldn't reach the boat to stop it, and the rudder was turned. When it touched the bottom it broke the blade off. Lucky me actually as the small remaining piece of mahogany was quite weak, and had it broken when on the Trent, or where it would have been dangerous to suddenly have no steering, it could have left me in quite a predicament.
Anyway I've made one, and the best research I could do was to make it from pictures. It's almost perfect. 200% improvement. On a trip to Boston last week I travelled a kilometer without touching the wheel, it is much lighter and turns almost as good as a speedboat.
Only made out of what I had lying around, I've posted this to tell any other 'new' boaters how they might??? improve their boat, for no cost.
When I bought my boat, I was told by the owner to make a new steel rudder. A professional fisherman and boat builder, he had only had the boat a few weeks, as it proved unsuitable without serious modification for his needs.
I have now learned it is a Megavissey Tosher sailing boat, but made (not converted) into a small cruiser.
Well I used it with the original one, until I accidently broke it in ice. Just a thick patch had formed around my mooring, as there was none the other side of the lock.
The 'quick bodge' I did worked so well, I've used it since, and the boat still handled better than most, although the steering was hard and it turned to the right.
Well a couple of weeks ago, I had a short trip to a riverbank mooring, and when leaving, pulled the boat backwards to the bank. It had drifted with the wind, and that part of the bank was sloping, so I couldn't reach the boat to stop it, and the rudder was turned. When it touched the bottom it broke the blade off. Lucky me actually as the small remaining piece of mahogany was quite weak, and had it broken when on the Trent, or where it would have been dangerous to suddenly have no steering, it could have left me in quite a predicament.
Anyway I've made one, and the best research I could do was to make it from pictures. It's almost perfect. 200% improvement. On a trip to Boston last week I travelled a kilometer without touching the wheel, it is much lighter and turns almost as good as a speedboat.
Only made out of what I had lying around, I've posted this to tell any other 'new' boaters how they might??? improve their boat, for no cost.
