JeffH made an interesting point about the historical use of the term "spade" rudder. So I will leave it to JeffH to comment whether I'm using the terminology "balanced rudder" correctly either. I have always used that term generally to describe a rudder with some of its surface area forward of the rudder post and some trailing behind.
I also use that term to refer to some rudders lacking an embedded rudder post that nevertheless have a certain amount of surface area forward of the rudder's axis of rotation and some aft of it. An example of this latter type would be the Melges 24, which has what I would call a balanced transom hung rudder (it looks a lot like Giulietta's rudder, but smaller and hung from the transom with pintles and gudgeons, so no embedded rudder post).
More comments below....
Quote:
Originally Posted by tdw
Alex i'm a little confused by that as well , it doesn't appear very clear from Jeff's photo. Pardon me if I'm not answering your question and am telling you something you already know but a skeg hung rudder is.....
while a post hung rudder is as per ........ (same as yours).....
Post hung is generally referred to as a spade rudder down here.
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Regarding the tracking abilitities of such boats I'm of the opinion that this is more to do with the keel and hull than it is to do with the rudder. Again, Raven is spade rudder fin keel and steers herself quite happily unattended for hours at a time. Bit of sail adjustment and a constant wind required but it does work. I'm thinking its the amount of meat you have underwater that counts. ... |
TDW,
I can't tell from your photos, but it looks like Raven may not have what I call a "balanced" spade rudder? Could it be that the rudder post on Raven runs down through the leading edge of the rudder (like in the photo of the Crealock 31 that I posted at the beginning of this thread)? Such that all or most of the rudder's surface are trails behind the rudder post? In which case, I would still call it a spade rudder, just not a balanced spade. If so, that might partially account for how well your boat tracks. Any more close up photos you could show us?