rudder for 19 ft. No Mans Land Boat

[Colin_M]

I have to build a new rudder for my 19 ft. No Mans Land Boat; the original was made of Fir, which proved to be totally inadequate for the job. Does anyone have suggestion as to what is the best wood for this application?

[Thorne]

White oak makes nice rudders and isn't too expensive. Use Bob Smalser's web articles to see how to build one with epoxy and bronze drift pins.

http://www.woodcentral.com/articles/smalser/articles_614d.shtml

http://www.woodcentral.com/articles/smalser/articles_614a.shtml



Can you give us either a photo, or a good description and dimensions?

[Rick Starr]

Why was the fir inadequate? Could a better construction technique get you what you want? Seems like fir being local to you would be ideal.

Mahogany is used around here, as was manchenil when it could be found in usable chunks.

Good luck.

[Tanbark Spanker]

Which No Man's Land design do you have? I've been looking at Robert Baker's Orca. Great beach boats.

[JimD]

My first one was mahogany which was fine. I replaced it with a kick up made from fir plywood which was also good, painted.

[Jeb Fowler]

vertical grain longleaf yellow pine (with bronze drifts) makes great rudder stock but may not be available in your parts. Epoxied sappelle marine plywood seems to hold up surprisingly well and doesn't require drifts.

[Colin_M]

Why was the fir inadequate? Could a better construction technique get you what you want? Seems like fir being local to you would be ideal.

Mahogany is used around here, as was manchenil when it could be found in usable chunks.

Good luck.

Hello Rick.

When going to windward with too much sail for the current conditions the boat tends to have a heavy weather helm, I found that the Fir could not take the stress and cracked badly.

Cheers.....

[Colin_M]

Which No Man's Land design do you have? I've been looking at Robert Baker's Orca. Great beach boats.

Mine is the one (slightly modified) in Chapelle's American Small Sailing Craft pages 169 & 171; mine uses standing lug sails.

[Colin_M]

My first one was mahogany which was fine. I replaced it with a kick up made from fir plywood which was also good, painted.


I'd like to stay away from plywood and epoxy. The boat is made of Oak, Yellow Cedar; Ironwood and Fir, somehow modern materials just do not fit into an 1850’s replica.:):)

[Colin_M]

White oak makes nice rudders and isn't too expensive. Use Bob Smalser's web articles to see how to build one with epoxy and bronze drift pins.

Can you give us either a photo, or a good description and dimensions?


I agree, White Oak may very well fit the bill. Interesting links for building a rudder, although it would not be suitable for my own boat. I’ll post a photo in the next day or so, currently my site is down and I’m unable upload anything. The dimensions are 17" x 46" tapering to a about six inches in the top one foot to accomodate the tiller

[rbgarr]

FWIW, on your next rudder you may want to add a horizontal endplate. It may help with the weather helm control and forestall any splitting by reducing flexing. You may also have to make sure the rudder is 'locked' into the gudgeons by some device so the rudder doesn't pop up and off when the boat hobby-horses.

[JimD]

I'd like to stay away from plywood and epoxy. The boat is made of Oak, Yellow Cedar; Ironwood and Fir, somehow modern materials just do not fit into an 1850’s replica.:):)

Colin you can't just describe a boat like that and then walk away without posting photographs!

[Colin_M]

Colin you can't just describe a boat like that and then walk away without posting photographs!

Sorry about that Jim, please see my earlier post (#10 above) re: lack of photos.

The boat can be seen in My Wooden Boat (this site) Boat ID: 3286 http://www.mywoodenboatdatabase.com/display_boats.php?adjust=4

[JimD]

Ok, so I can't read but I can copy/paste: ;)

http://www.mywoodenboatdatabase.com/woodenboat/item3286.jpg

[Colin_M]

Ok, so I can't read but I can copy/paste: ;)



Never thought of that :):)