New HDPE rudder for wing keel

[Diversion]

Just replace my old rudder for the new material and shaped rudder.  So far good, getting to the dock.  I will be sailing this weekend so will give it a good shake down if there's wind!  Here are some pics.  The depth is the same as the keel, as some people were afraid of.  But certainly much more surface area!

[Noah]

Where did you purchase? Model number, etc.?

[Diversion]

Rudder craft, the same company that builds the rudders for Catalina Direct.  Jason is a good contact person at Rudder Craft.  You will have to drill the two holes one for the quadrant center bolt and the other for the top tiller cap.  The emergency tiller cap will more than likely need to be broken off the old rudder to get it out. The new cap from Catalina Direct is different, so good measurements using the old rudder or better if you can slide the new rudder in place and mark the exact hole positions before drilling is very important...

(Catalina 34/36 High Performance HDPE Rudder is the description). Choose rudder based on keel.
 

[Noah]

Thanks for posting the info. My rudder is in good shape so I do not plan to replace it anytime soon. I just wanted to clarify whether this is the revised Catalina factory "Elliptical" rudder or another version/type.

[Diversion]

They recommended this one over the elliptical because :
 
"This rudder offers a vastly improved shape you can see when compared to the original Catalina 34 and 36 rudder's. It is an NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics) 0012 airfoil considered by many sailboat designers to be the ideal combination of maximum lift with minimal drag."

We will see!!

[Noah]

Yeah, I have read that claim in their Catalina Direct advertising, but it seems they may be comparing apples and oranges—comparing their rudder against the "original" factory MKI rudder—not against the newer elliptical rudder that followed it? Keep us posted.

[waughoo]

I would be dissapointed with the lack of design commitment to fit the boat itself.  I suspect it works better just by suface area alone, but it looks a little bit like a barn door on the boat.