Cavalier 26, Rudder

Discussion in 'Sailboats' started by O_Smiladon, Apr 28, 2021.

  1. O_Smiladon
    Joined: Apr 2021
    Posts: 9
    Likes: 1, Points: 3
    Location: Auckland New Zealand

    O_Smiladon Junior Member

    HI Mate,
    Unfortunately not really an option for me at the moment. I had to do repairs to my throttle and gear chance leavers. Also i had to replace battery and then after that starter solenoid. And where my boat is on a swing mooring i have to get out to it.And thats a 10 min putter out in my little inflatable tender. Time and weather have not been kind to me.
    So I have had to bite the bullet and just get it out of the water as everything has been booked for tomorrow. I do have a boat builder coming to have a look at the rudder and get his thoughts. I am going to make better whats there. and look at going back at a later date.
    I mat be able to get the sail up tomorrow as i have to move the boat around 10 km away to the haul out area. See how we go.
    Will keep you posted
    Cheers mate.
     
  2. bajansailor
    Joined: Oct 2007
    Posts: 3,711
    Likes: 1,640, Points: 113, Legacy Rep: 37
    Location: Barbados

    bajansailor Marine Surveyor

    Good luck, I hope all goes well - and that you are able to hoist the sails and see how she does sail.
    You might even be pleasantly surprised - I hope so!
    Be aware that if you get the boat reasonably well balanced under sail then you do not need a huge amount of rudder area to control her.
    Saying that, your hull form seems to have some old IOR 1/4 tonner influence in it, so you might have to work a bit harder to (try to) get her nicely balanced.
     
  3. O_Smiladon
    Joined: Apr 2021
    Posts: 9
    Likes: 1, Points: 3
    Location: Auckland New Zealand

    O_Smiladon Junior Member

    Thanks Bajansailor,
    Yeah I was told that the Cav 26 did have a play around in the 1/4 ton cup and did not do to bad. I love that design in the hull timeless I would say. not like the newer boats that look a bit space age for me.
    I was talking to the guy i bought the boat off.
    He and his brother (Who is an engineer of some type made that rudder). he did say the original was damaged in a storm I would say by the sounds of things that she either slipped her mooring or dragged her anchor and the rudder hit something hard and broke it. He also mentioned that numerous rudders were tired but nothing really worked well. I done know if i have mentioned this but the old owner only use to motor everywhere with her so he never put the sails up himself but did say a sailor mate of his took her for a sail and it was not to bad. I guess I will have to draw my own conclusions when i do put her sails up. When my bothers father in law (the boat builder i mentioned) comes and has a look will see what he says. But I am in favour now of making better what is there and giving the rudder shape and form. ( Long nights of shaping and sanding ahead )
    Will keep you posted
    Thanks Bajansailor
    Steve
     
  4. CT249
    Joined: May 2003
    Posts: 1,518
    Likes: 217, Points: 63, Legacy Rep: 215
    Location: Sydney Australia

    CT249 Senior Member

    The new rudder does look small in area. For example, compare it with the similarly raked transom-hung rudder on a roughly similar '70s quarter tonner, the Supersonic 27; https://www.seabreeze.com.au/images/snapshots/ralphy3060-090715052951.jpg

    The Supersonic's rudder is much wider lower down than the Peterson/Cavalier's rudder appears to be. Keeping in mind the efficiency issues related to surface-piercing rudders I would be surprised if the boat could be controlled well at high speeds with the small skeg-hung rudder.

    I fitted a second-hand spade rudder into a boat of similar weight, replacing a skeg hung rudder. It's not a big job to fit a rudder tube and some simple bearings and framing. Mine simply had PVC plumbing pipe fittings as bearings and they worked OK when lubricated. Some people do a better job at home by making graphite moulds, IIRC.

    While it's nice to get the CLR right, if you get it close enough then you can fine tune the balance with sail trim.

    A few rough measurements of the new rudder, which could be cut down, should allow easy calculation of the CLR and comparison with the CLE. The Peterson Cavalier was similar to the Eygthene 24 and Holland 25. There are plenty of sketch plans of the Eygthene and the related Holland 25 and Kiwi 24 on the net. If you tried to copy the rough rudder shape and CLE/CLR relationship of the Eygthene/Kiwi/H25 you shouldn't be too far off.

    https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/eygthene-24

    Hey, here's a Kiwi/Eyghthene plan with the CLR and CLE drawn in to make it even easier for you to calculate similar relationships on your boat.http://www.histoiredeshalfs.com/Quarter Tonner/1974 02 Kiwi.jpg

    You could also seek info on the Doug Peterson Facebook page.

    Finally, be aware that there are two Cavalier 26s in NZ, or perhaps a 25 and a 26. The 26 is an older Salthouse design, also sold in Australia. It was more popular than the Peterson for some reason. It has a very different rudder and a very different design so make sure anyone giving you information is aware that yours is the Peterson design.
     

  5. O_Smiladon
    Joined: Apr 2021
    Posts: 9
    Likes: 1, Points: 3
    Location: Auckland New Zealand

    O_Smiladon Junior Member

    Hi CT,

    Very cool mate thank you,

    OK guys. Boats out of the water and sitting in a cradle.. What a mission broke a rib for my efforts haha long story short my throttle cable broke. And i fell down into my engine compartment trying manually adjust rev's of the engine. and broke a rib on the way down in there.
    Any how this is what we are looking at.

    With Soulmate out I can now see where they have extended the skeg line up to the transom. pictures as shown.

    Just as a quick fix I am going to a mod to the rudder that is there. As per pic (what do you guys think.) Soulmate_Rudder7.jpg Soulmate_Rudder8.jpg Soulmate_Rudder9.jpg Soulmate_Rudder10.jpg

    The last picture is what i think may work better than whats there.

    As for the the top ones they show what the repair was done. when the original rudder was lost. But by the looks of things on the surface won't be to much to bring her back. Just need the dimensions of the original rudder . Whick I may be able to get in September when another Cav owner brings his out of the water. But until then i may just do what i have done in the bottom pic to get by .

    Cheers guys
    Steve
     
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