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Old 30-05-2021, 09:33   #1
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Steering with two rudders

Hi all, I just bought an long keel Albin Vega. These have the propeller located aft of the rudder so the PO installed a second rudder behind the prop and they are linked together to move in tandem. I want to disconnect them so they move independently so that I can set the 2nd rudder up for sheet to tiller steering. My question is how would this affect steering when using the primary rudder alone (2nd rudder straight along the length of the boat)?
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Old 30-05-2021, 10:25   #2
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Re: Steering with two rudders

It seems to me the best thing to do is to just TRY IT and see what happens.

This is such a weird set up, with so many unknowns, anybody offering an opinion on how the boat will behave is just guessing.

Nothing wrong with guessing it can be fun, but if I were you, I'd trust my own experiments over the wild guesses of random strangers.
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Old 30-05-2021, 11:55   #3
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Re: Steering with two rudders

Hello Intifada, do you have a picture of the current configuration, inside and outside the boat? Here is the image from sailboatdata.com for a Albin Vega:

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Old 30-05-2021, 12:04   #4
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Re: Steering with two rudders

Sorry no pics of the inside but not much to see anyway. Once the system to link the two is removed they will operate as two distinct rudders as each has it's own tiller (the 2nd has a small removeable one). Outside pic hopefully attached.
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Old 30-05-2021, 15:33   #5
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Re: Steering with two rudders

I would suspect that the add-on rudder, being both larger and further aft than the keel mounted rudder would steer the boat far better than the original, all by itself. I would at least try locking the keel rudder straight ahead and simply steering in all conditions with the new one. Less drag, and I bet better tracking and response to tiller input.

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Old 30-05-2021, 15:38   #6
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Re: Steering with two rudders

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Originally Posted by Jim Cate View Post
I would at least try locking the keel rudder straight ahead and simply steering in all conditions with the new one.
I would think using the keel 'rudder' essentially as a trim tab would be the way to go - so you can use it to balance out the boat and create lift. Would make self-steering systems much easier running because you could make the balance on the aft rudder neutral in pretty much any condition. In the past this was a not unusual approach, but often heavily penalized or outright banned by racing rules. Usually with like a worm gear on the trim tab - so you can dial in a bit of angle and it would hold it.
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Old 30-05-2021, 15:39   #7
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Re: Steering with two rudders

Plus a bit of prop wash over the rudder won't hurt when parking in a tight marina.

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Old 30-05-2021, 16:19   #8
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Re: Steering with two rudders

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I would think using the keel 'rudder' essentially as a trim tab would be the way to go - so you can use it to balance out the boat and create lift. Would make self-steering systems much easier running because you could make the balance on the aft rudder neutral in pretty much any condition. In the past this was a not unusual approach, but often heavily penalized or outright banned by racing rules. Usually with like a worm gear on the trim tab - so you can dial in a bit of angle and it would hold it.
as an additional aside . . . the (new) aft rudder could be a nicer shape (elliptical and deeper). I understand that may be more work/money than you want to dive into. But if you get to liking using the aft rudder - there is an upgrade there just waiting for you.
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Old 30-05-2021, 16:28   #9
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Re: Steering with two rudders

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Plus a bit of prop wash over the rudder won't hurt when parking in a tight marina.

Pete
I think that's exactly why the rudder was added in the first place, apparently not uncommon where I got the boat (Netherlands).
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