articulating rudder for sailboats

I remember reading about the proposed Racing Machine that L Francis Herreshoff proposed which featured an articulating rudder.I believe the number actually built to the design is precisely zero.Making and connecting the control linkage would be no small task and sealing between the sections to reduce flow migration would be a further challenge.The old concept of simplify and add lightness has much to recommend it.

 

"Live Yankee" was built with a flexible rudder. The rudder was constructed of five strips in a tapered cross section. Roger Taylor, LFH's biographer, said that the strips were rubber connected with piano hinges. Other documentation says they were wood connected by rubber. A curved rod inside the rudder flexed it into an arc when turned. As far as is known, nobody, including LFH, ever used that rudder design again.

Cheers,

Earl