Ellipitical Rudder

[Ken Juul]

When I pull the boat this spring I am considering adding the ellipitical shape to the back of my rudder that was described about a year ago.  I can't find a new 34 out of the water near me to trace the new shape.  Anybody happen to have a template they can copy for me?  Or if your on the hard for the winter, would somebody mind tracing the new rudder shape.  I have a wing keel.   Thanks!

[Ron Hill]

Ken : I gave my template to Hank Recla.  You can make your own by looking at the past Mainsheet article and overlay that I wrote (in 1999?).  The max distance on the aft end is 5.25 inches.  Don't need to be that exact, just contour it and follow what I did in the last issues article. (Mainsheet).  

[Mark G]

Does the eliptical rudder make that much difference? I'm sailing a 1991 wing keel, tall rig.

[Ken Juul]

Thanks Ron,

I knew I had seen a good write up, but couldn't remember where and my searches weren't turning much up.

[Ken Heyman]

Mark,

I have an elliptical rudder on my 1988 c34. Comparing to other  c34s that I have sailed , there seems to be  somewhat better windward performance (although this is primarily a fin keel phenomena) and decreased weather helm with a reduced
tendency to heel excessively and round up in a blow.

Good luck,

Ken

[Ron Hill]

Mark G : Read the article I wrote in the Nov 2004 C34 "Mainsheet" tech notes.
As Ken noted, you'll eliminate the tendency in hi wind to uncontrollably roundup.  
BTW, Catalina parts told me that they will no longer relay up a new elliptical rudder on your old (unbent) rudder column.  Had that info in that Mainsheet article, but it got "edited" out!!  

[Ted Pounds]

Ron,

Paul, who made a previous rudder post, told me that Catalina is going to recast his rudder.  So it appears that they may still be doing that.

[Ron Hill]

Ted : Thanks for the info.  I'll guess that none other than Gerry Douglas edited that statement out of my article and then told the parts dept. to stop putting out misinformation.
Probably the same situation as when I called him on the length of the ss drive shaft.  Catalina makes their own, so it's no difference in what length the customer orders.  
Same with the rudder - if to send in an  unbent stainless column, they'll relay up a new elliptical rudder on it.  That way it was 1/2 the price of an entirely new rudder!!  

[SailDan]

RE: Ron's "Elliptical Rudder Modification" project posted 1-5-05

If you go to the project page index and click on the Ron's new project submission, you get an error page message.  Reason, there is an extra ".htm" in the URL address (see below)
http://c34.org/projects/projects-rudder-modification.htm.htm

To get to the correct page, simply remove the extra ".htm" and press enter key,.... or click on the correct address below:
http://c34.org/projects/projects-rudder-modification.htm

PS... nice job Ron.