Performance and Vintage Sailboats

[peterny32]

I own a 1936 S&S New York 32, which has a keel hung rudder, and I had the following question...

I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on the value of adding a fairing piece(10 oz. fiberglass strip about 4" wide 8' long) between the aft edge of the hull(sternpost) and the front edge of the rudder. Would this reduce turbulence and drag?

Also the trailing edge of this type of rudder should it be as thin as possible?

Peter

[usa2]

The fairing piece may reduce turbulence and/or drag to a certain degree, but you've got a fast boat either way, and it probably would not make a measureable difference.
All the classic boat rudders i have seen are not really tapered at all on the trailing edge, rather they either leave it completely alone and its just cut off abruptly, or the trailing edge is rounded a little.

[RHough]

... but you've got a fast boat either way ....

amen, not to mention pretty. Fast and Pretty is combination we don't see often enough. :)