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Author Balancing a c22 kick up rudder



Boat Name:

Model/Year:

Hull No.

Hailing Port: 		07/21/2004 4:43 AM Pacific Time
What are the steps to be sure a kick up rudder is properly balanced for maximum ease of helm control? May the rudder be shimmed to be closer to stern but not under the transom?
Michael Smalter
Webster, NY

Boat Name: Marrakesh

Model/Year: 1986

Hull No. 13645

Hailing Port: Rochester, NY		 07/21/2004 8:46 PM Pacific Time
Do you want to balance your helm, or balance the rudder? The standard rudder has 100% of the area behind the fulcrum. Someone on the list modified the rudder so that about ΒΌ was forward of the fulcrum. That provided a more balanced rudder, requiring less tiller force and reducing the tendency to turn sideways when you back the boat.

Balancing the helm is different. It involves the relationship of the center of effort of the sail plan to the center of lateral resistence of the hull in the water. It involves getting the proper rake of the mast. If you have extreme weather helm, the mast needs to be tilted forward slightly (loosen the aft lowers and tighten the foreward lowers). If you have lee helm, the mast needs to be tilted back more. Once you get the rig balanced well, you can make realtime adjustments by changing your sails. Reefing the main moves the center of effort forward and reduces weather helm (and heel). So does sailing with jib alone. I have my boat tuned so that I can hold a straight course in 15 knots of wind with only light pressure on the tiller.
Robert Donehoo
Duluth Ga

Boat Name: Shady Deal

Model/Year: Catalina 22 1979

Hull No. 8940

Hailing Port: Lake Lanier Ga		 12/08/2010 2:07 PM Pacific Time
My original rudder snapped at the waterline. I found it to be full of water and weak. I repaired the rudder using long steel rods for strength. This was before I found out weight matters. I have been making spare rudders for cruising (to heavy for racing) following the original design. The plan is to make a cruising rudder blade for the kickup rudder that is balanced any ideas on how far the rudder should be forward of the pintles?
Everett Ballenger
Beaufort, SC

Boat Name: Stray Cat

Model/Year: Catalina 22 / 1989

Hull No. 15005

Hailing Port: Beaufort		 02/08/2011 7:25 AM Pacific Time
This might sound wacky and probably is, but has anyone tried reversing the rudder blade on the kick up model. Looking at it's shape, it would put the leading edge a lot further forward. Just a thought!!
John D Griffith
Loveland

Boat Name: No Worries

Model/Year:

Hull No.

Hailing Port: 		02/08/2011 7:25 AM Pacific Time
This might sound wacky and probably is, but has anyone tried reversing the rudder blade on the kick up model. Looking at it's shape, it would put the leading edge a lot further forward. Just a thought!!
 
 
Hull / Keel / Rudder / Tiller
Catalina Direct Discussion Topics / Catalina 22 Discussion Area / Hull / Keel / Rudder / Tiller / Balancing a c22 kick up rudder