Angle between skeg and rudder

[Dave Gray]

Well, after trying to ignore the situation for over a year now, and therefore letting the problem keep me from completing my boat, I have decided to ask the Forum at large: What do you think?

There is about a 7 degree angle between my skeg and my rudder. The rudder is not at fault, it is the skeg. A good old square has confirmed this many a time.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid185/p7e7fb7c820b45496c3ed006d02683434/f27a2ea3.jpg.thumb.jpg

I am tempted to leave this be, but for the uneasy voice in the back of my mind that says elemetary physics will tell me this is not a good idea - I can imagine the rudder shaking, added drag, and so on.

One way to find out would be to use the boat and make my decision then. This is appealing since the skeg is attached with 5200 goo and screws. The screws were counter sunk, covered with epoxy, and the boat interior is painted. The exterior is waiting the results of my vacillation.

Here is the interior. This is a Pooduck skiff.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid185/p24ac09de6e76e8cca6199b2470773828/f27a2ea2.jpg.thumb.jpg

Thanks,
Dave

[ 09-04-2005, 06:58 PM: Message edited by: Dave Gray ]

[Gary E]

There is about a 7 degree angle between my skeg and my rudder. The rudder is not at fault, it is the skeg. A good old square has confirmed this many a time So what went wrong? If it's not sposed to be 7 what do the plans call for? Can you replace the incorrect part? ...CAn you live with it the way it is?

Since all I know is that you have found an error somewhere, and seem to want to corret something, you now have the oportunity to make what is known as an "Engineering Change"... smile.gif

[Paul Scheuer]

Without the "thumb.jpg". For us old timers.
Nice job.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid185/p7e7fb7c820b45496c3ed006d02683434/f27a2ea3.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid185/p24ac09de6e76e8cca6199b2470773828/f27a2ea2.jpg

[JimD]

Dave, I'm not sure what the problem is. Do you mean when the boat is trim the rudder is perfectly vertically plumb as it should be but the skeg isn't?

[rbgarr]

I wouldn't worry about it. Any difference between tacks will not be that noticeable, or if it is, you'll get accustomed to it soon enough with practice.

Wooden boats often have assymetries and work out fine.

:cool:

[Bruce Hooke]

How much of a problem would it be to simply shift the bottom of the rudder over a little to port so that the rudder is at least roughly centered behind the skeg? If you could at least do that then the alignment would really not be off by much. Even if the rudder is now vertical and centered relative to the gunwales, what really matters is that it be centered relative to the center of the boat, if you take my meaning, and right now, even leaving out the skeg, it looks like it is little too far to starboard if you use the inside edges of the bottom panels as the reference point.

[JimD]

I'd be tempted to glue another skeg onto the starboard side of the existing one and shave off the port side until I had a new 'laminated' skeg that was correctly aligned

[Steve McMahon]

If I was happy with the rest of the boat I would be tempted to just lop it off and start fresh. Just drill out the screws from the inside, the holes are easily filled with thickened epoxy. Just drill new ones for the new skeg. When I built the Pooduck I used epoxy & screws to fasten the skeg. I didn't feel like using 5200 and it seemed to be fine. I find a propane torch and putty knife removes 5200 pretty good: heat the putty knife up to red hot and jam it into the crack, repeat as required. Keep a hose handy just in case.
Good luck.
Steve

[Dave Gray]

Thank you all for your replies. The thought of gluing onto the skeg is intriguing (so is the thought of doing nothing, which is up there as a top contender). I had contemplated removing the existing skeg by removing the screws and using piano wire to break the 5200 bond (a technique I read about here on the forum), but - the royal but - I am disinclined at this stage to do more work than I have to and want to see this project end. There are more boats to build! Furniture to make!

Thanks for the "nice job" compliment. I find it looks better with distance. :D

Dave

[Ian McColgin]

I have the idea that the beam at the bottom with the clamps on it is a line from which the boat's true level might arise. This is reinforced by the grain of the transom but because I can't see the top of the transom, this may be wrong.

Also, can't be sure that the photo is dead on square.

Anyway, holding a straight edge up to the screen going chine to chine I get nothing square. One would think the rudderpost would be normal to that line and it's not. It is a bit closer to normal to the beam below.

I think you have an asymmetric boat. Been there, done that, back when I was smarter than any boatbuilder who ever lived and I didn't need no stinking strongback anal-meticulously trued up. If these guesses are so, fudge the rudder and the skeg a little to make them visually align and promise Mother Ocean you'll be more careful next time. And not to worry too much. After all, how many humans have left and right arms of exactly equal size.

Bilateral symmetry is greatly over-rated.

G'luck

[Dave Gray]

thx Ian - yes, there is a bit of skew and that is even with a strongback, molds, etc. Which just goes to show that a lack of talent can overcome even the best laid plans....