View Full Version : Rudder Angle And Effective Size Of Rudder...


saildog
03-05-2006, 07:52 PM
Hoping someone can assist me with some sailboat design issues with a shoal keel (heavy) type sailboat. Thanks in advance.

a. Is there a minimum and maximum effective rudder angle from centerline?Anotherwords, is there any reason for the rudder to swing more than 45 degrees, port/starboard?
b. As the weight of the boat goes up, does rudder size also increase? If so, is there a formula for rudder size to boat size/weight?
Thanks again...

Skippy
03-05-2006, 09:17 PM
Any foil will stall if its angle of attack is too high. I don't think the stall angle is ever much more than 16 degrees?

From The Rules (http://home.clara.net/gmatkin/therules.htm):
"A rudder area of between 8 and 10 per cent of the total lateral plane or underwater profile is the desirable size for a sailboat." F S Kinney

Raggi_Thor
03-06-2006, 05:39 AM
Since the lateral plane is smaller now then then, the rudder may be more than 10 % of the total.

When a boat with a short keel turns, it rotates, spins, around itself, then you may need a rudder angle close to 90 degrees.

Skippy
03-06-2006, 07:58 AM
Also, if you're motoring slowly in a crowded area and need to take a very tight turn, 45 degrees or so may be necessary.

DanishBagger
03-06-2006, 08:01 AM
Not to mention, a 90 degrees swing of the rudder is the closest you get to a brake.

bhnautika
03-06-2006, 04:34 PM
Saildog the rudder angle doesn’t need to be over 35 degrees, as any more doesn’t add a lot to the turning moment. As stated in earlier posts, rudder area is usually calculated as a percentage of either lateral plane area or sail area. These percentages change with the type of boat (planing thru to displacement), for your boat as I imagine it, about 9 percent.
For more “The nature of boats “ by Dave Gerr is a good read.

View Full Version : Rudder Angle And Effective Size Of Rudder...