Lost Another Rudder!

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

.........
I wonder what would have happened if they had rigged and deployed an improvised drogue off the stern. Something like a combination of a spare anchor and rode plus some dock lines and whatever other suitable stuff they had on board. Perhaps that would have stabilized the boat in a downwind/down sea attitude and given them the opportunity to regroup and rethink.

Any thoughts?

Jim

Jim
They did try buckets off the stern. It worked for awhile, but then a wave hit them and turned them 180*. They then had great difficulty trying to get the boat to make the 180* turn back.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by funjohnson

I'm sure the $100,000s of price difference between Oyster and production has something to do with it too.

I didn't think Oyster built the rudder from hand crafted cherry. But good to know they do and explains all that cost.

Dave

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Hud3

....
The fact that the autopilot was tripping prior to the loss of the rudder leads me to speculate that it was overloaded, probably due to heavy weather helm caused by unbalanced sails.
....

Unbalanced sails certainly cause extra loads on the steering gear. In this situation, I doubt they had too much or unbalanced sails. The effort to steer the boat back onto course after being hit by the waves is really high -- helmsman or AP. The stern is being slewed side to side as the boat gets hit. Another boat near them broke their rudder arm.

[Hud3]

Agreed. Quartering seas can really slew the stern around, and the autopilot reacts to that by trying to keep the boat on the selected heading. I hand steer in those conditions, so I can let the boat slew a bit and then decide when to bring it back. Less strain.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Hud3

Agreed. Quartering seas can really slew the stern around, and the autopilot reacts to that by trying to keep the boat on the selected heading. I hand steer in those conditions, so I can let the boat slew a bit and then decide when to bring it back. Less strain.

Depending on where the boats were, this lasted about 24 to 36 hours. We had Furuno-san, our AP, drive the entire time. That would have been a long time to hand steer.

[robert sailor]

Thats when a good windvane comes out way ahead of an autopilot.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by robert sailor

Thats when a good windvane comes out way ahead of an autopilot.

Certainly over hand steering. It won't outsteer a good AP, but it will use a lot less juice.