Larger rudders for 53MY

[motoryacht lover]

Does it matter where on the rudder you add metal? In other words do you make it longer top to bottom or wider front to back or both? Seems like making the rudders bigger will create more force for the steering to overcome. Do you have to concern yourself with steering modifications to deal with the larger rudder? I believe larger rudders vastly improved the handling of the Bertram 31 and also heard larger rudders helped with one of the post models that tended to get squirrely in following seas.

[SKYCHENEY]

I'm not the engineer on this project just the recipient of someone else's work. But the guy who drew this up is benefiting from the discount he received for the extra quantity being built due to my participation in the deal.

Basically, they added 3" to the trailing edge and 3" to the bottom edge. I'm sure that adds extra force to all of the steering components, but we all know that Hatteras over-engineered everything so I'm not too concerned. And I know of another 53 that this was done to and never heard of any problems.

[bostonhatteras]

The redesign is interesting. The portion of rudder before the pivot point assists by reducing the force needed to turn the rudder against the force of the oncoming sea. sort of like free power steering. I wonder if the guy just takes percentages of each area before and after the pivot and adds a like percentage to each?

[warrenw]

Sky,

What are the dimensions of the original rudders?

I'm not the engineer on this project just the recipient of someone else's work. But the guy who drew this up is benefiting from the discount he received for the extra quantity being built due to my participation in the deal.

Basically, they added 3" to the trailing edge and 3" to the bottom edge. I'm sure that adds extra force to all of the steering components, but we all know that Hatteras over-engineered everything so I'm not too concerned. And I know of another 53 that this was done to and never heard of any problems.

[SKYCHENEY]

Sky,

What are the dimensions of the original rudders?

Small.

The real answer is "I don't know". I'll measure them next time I'm at the boat.

[bostonhatteras]

My boat had no means of bonding the rudders when I purchased her. This was my solution. Maybe it helps you, maybe not, just throwing it out there.

[SKYCHENEY]

My boat had no means of bonding the rudders when I purchased her. This was my solution. Maybe it helps you, maybe not, just throwing it out there.

Looks like a great idea. Thank you. Right now my bonding wire is connected to the bolt that tightens the clamping fitting just below where your wire is.

[Captain Ralph]

My boat had no means of bonding the rudders when I purchased her. This was my solution. Maybe it helps you, maybe not, just throwing it out there.

One of the nicest and driest install I have seen in a while.

[cww]

I'm thinking the power steering may be next. You can't buy the hynautic cylinder anymore and the last time I put seals in this one, I had to do it twice to stop the leaks. I don't see or feel any obvious scarring on the ram, but if it starts leaking again, it's getting replaced.

I ran into that problem, the steering cylinder is an obsolete part number that’s been discontinued. They do make a very very similar one that’s the right size with the correct amount of travel, but the mounting points were different. We bedded in new pads and mounted the new one up so now I’m future proof until hynautic discontinues that one too. I had mine rebuilt but it sprung another leak a month later at which point I insisted on a new one.