Canting Rudder

[TimClark]

I was just watching a movie and suddenly and idea popped into my head...Why not making canting rudders? I would think that you would get better control. What do you guys think?

Tim

I think Warren Luhrs' Thursday's Child had one. I'm not sure the benefits outweigh the complexity and need to constantly adjust it.
Of course, wide transom boats(mini 6.5's, Open 60's) sort of prove the value since, although they have twin rudders, they're canted....

[TimClark]

Yeah now that I think about it, it would be so annoying for everything to work fine. First of all, you would have to be able to cant it, while being able to turn it on an axis. If it worked out though without problems and technical problems then I would think the gains would be great.

Tim

[Eric Sponberg]

Back in the early development of the Around Alone Race (When it was the BOC race), many boats evolved into having two rudders hung on the transom, set off centerline and canted outward about 10-15 degrees. They are retractable, so only one rudder is used at a time. This accomplished the same thing as a single canting rudder. I am not sure about Thursday's Child having the canting rudder, I would have to look back through my boat design and news clippings, but I would not be surprised if it did have one. I think the later Luhrs design, Hunter's Child, may also have had a single canting rudder. Canted rudders are still used today, and I think you can see them on the Mini-transat boats and other large transoceanic racing yachts.

On Project Amazon, my open class 60 for the 1998 Around Alone Race, I designed two rudders-in-drums, set off centerline and canted outboard, and they were retractable. They do work and are very effective. I have proposed similar types of rudders for cruising sailboats.

Eric

[TimClark]

Eric, I know about the double canted rudders. They also use them on the Whitbread 60's.

Tim