Today, the crew of S/V Loki found a rudder and tiller that recently washed ashore on Vanua Levu Fiji. Looks like it might be off a 35-40 ft double ender. It is snapped in half, likely from reef impact. Can anybody identify the boat it came from? Might be a clue if the boat is missing, or just flotsam.
Details:
Construction is roving / polyester over a greenish foam core, heavy layer of CSM over that. Stainless reinforcement on head. Teak cheek plates covering the stainless weldment. Laminated teak tiller, heavy section. Track for windvane attachment, and connection pin for autopilot installed on top. Pivot bolt is 1/2" stainless. Bolts on sides are 3/8 * 6".
Today, the crew of S/V Loki found a rudder and tiller that recently washed ashore on Vanua Levu Fiji. Looks like it might be off a 35-40 ft double ender. It is snapped in half, likely from reef impact. Can anybody identify the boat it came from? Might be a clue if the boat is missing, or just flotsam.
Details:
Construction is roving / polyester over a greenish foam core, heavy layer of CSM over that. Stainless reinforcement on head. Teak cheek plates covering the stainless weldment. Laminated teak tiller, heavy section. Track for windvane attachment, and connection pin for autopilot installed on top. Pivot bolt is 1/2" stainless. Bolts on sides are 3/8 * 6".
Thanks for the info.
Do you know if the weather was bad between Oct 4 and Oct 9? My closest friend is sailing on S/V Mooneshine (Fast Passage 39, registered Croton-On-Hudson, NY) but I have not heard from her since Oct 3 when she was leaving Denarau (Fiji) for Port Vila (Vanuatu).
The rudder and tiller don't look like they come from a Fast Passage 39 though, so I am hopeful there vessel is safe. She usually contacts me every 3 to 4 days, this is 7 days since our last communication...
ZNEW- It has been rainy light winds and occasionally blustery in the squalls here in the Fiji area, but nothing significant. Given the mostly light air I would not worry much about your friend. The passage to Vanuatu could take a much longer time than normal if she is not using her auxiliary in the calms.
You can request a "health and welfare" call on the SSB pacific seafarers net, they are very good at such things. A lot of us listen to that while underway, but to be fair a huge percentage don't listen when in port, so I would not fret if no answer.
JAMES-
I think that looks like a match! The stainless weldment I took off the head looks the same (I recycled it for some projects on Loki). Not Tar Baby's rudder, but perhaps a sister ship. Mystery continues. I can take a pic of the custom mounted track on the rudder, and the autopilot pin if further ID requires. Maybe it is a newer westsail design?
It looks a lot like a rudder off a later Westsail 32. They had a molded in pocket for bronze pintles which it looks like this one has. The cheeks are like a W32 though stock cheeks were ash, not teak, though that could have changed on a later model. The tiller was attached to the rudder by a SS U-shaped welded fitting that fit inside the rudder cheeks. Looks like that SS piece has been unbolted and is sitting on top of the rudder in the picture.
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Peter O.
'Ae'a, Pearson 35
'Ms American Pie', Sabre 28 Mark II