Swing Up Rudder

[Jon W]

I hope this is a simple question. I have a Sun 2000 (s2k or I think a.k.a. Sun Fast). I want to get a swing up rudder for it to replace the current dagger arrangement. I do a lot of shallow work and don't want to rip the lower rudder mount out. Do Jeanneau do this as a spare and where can I get on in the UK. I'm rubbish at Googling I've not even found where to get Jeanneau parts yet. Thank you.

[sitara]

Try www.clarkeandcarter.co.uk/contact-us/spares-enquiry-form for Jeanneau spares. The provide a very good and efficient service.

[rene460]

Hi Jon,

There is a third alternative for your rudder, build the box that holds your vertical rudder with an open back, and use two or three loops of heavy shock cord to hold the rudder in.  If you run aground, the shock cord will stretch or break to save your transom and rudder.

However, the whole issue is not as bad as you might think.  You tend to need some keel down to steer anyway.  Once you find your preferred minimum depth for steerage, lift the rudder to a similar depth, mark the rudder at the top of the rudder box, even make provision for a pin to hold it up, so the keel then touches first.  (Then pull up the rudder before raising the keel to get off.). And of course install a good depth sounder.  It will still steer quite well.

Our water way is one of those trailer sailer heavens, but like your area, has large areas of shallow water.  I sailed a 24 ft model here for 5000 nm over 20 years, and like you, started out thinking that I would build a swing rudder.  But of course the dagger board keel is not so simple.  Observation of the many different designs that surrounded me, and experience for 12 years with a swing rudder and keel lead me to believe it marginal at best.  The downside do the swing rudder is the high unbalanced force when it is not vertical.  Very hard on the transom pintles and on your shoulder and quite difficult to build a rudder box, by nature open at the back, and strong enough for this force which is trying to break it apart despite the pin around which the rudder swings up and down.

I don't know how long you have had your boat, but which ever way you go, have lots of fun.  We certainly enjoyed our similar craft.

rene460