Single rudder on a cat

A single, centred board is more accessible for adjustments; ever tried minor adjustments on the leeward board in a blow? It can be done but the setup required is somewhat agricultural. And one rudder is inherently less convoluted than two if it can be made to perform in a servicable manner. Thus, simplicity and convenience, both which would make things easier for the weekend sailer and pertain to my stated design parameters.

 

Yup, ditto; only opiners but no-one who has actually tried it. I've since read your thread and, well, I guess there'll always be folks who tell you why you can't do something. Armchair encyclopaedia. I'm pushing ahead and will post some real world experience of the developments early in the antipodean summer. I mean, it may well not work, or be just too inefficient - but at least I'll really know...

BTW, I also have in my fleet a 26 foot outrigger, of ply, big and heavy enough so that the float can never fly, which has the rudder on the main hull transom. It was built in the 60s by one of the Haselgrove clan, in the era when the ethnic Pacific concepts were all the rage. The Haselgroves were designers & builders of repute down here; one was the first to circumnavigate Australia in a motorless catamaran. I have it on the hard at the moment, doing some repairs, but will post some info on that one when she's wet again.

 

I wouldn't ever bother to build a low performance 14 footer, as the value is close to zero...
The Hobie 14 can be bought in the States complete with trailer for less than 1000 USD, and a New Cat 14 in France can be found for around 1000 Euros in pretty good shape. This cat is almost indestructible with its polyethylene hulls.
Both boats sail correctly without any boards and have just rudders, and make great fun small cats. But if you like complications, and to waste time and money reinventing the wheel, it's up to you.
About your assertions; some of those who gently answered to your posts are pros; naval architects, boat builders and naval engineers with decades of experience.
Myself, apart warships, patrol boats, and fishing boats I have engineered and built several multis, from the 18 feet monodromic prao in cold molded wood to the 60 feet racing trimaran in carbon fiber/nomex, including several F40 cats and tris so I feel myself slightly more qualified than you.
So keep your remarks for you, and I'll keep mine about your lack of education.

 

Touched a raw nerve there. .

Anyway, I take from all that that your answer to my question in the opening post is, stripped down, "no".

And this may shock, but I'm not trying to compete with Hobie or anyone else; I've made my dosh. Some of us like just playing around with things nautical; I have many boats and I do just that most days these days.

My original question was seeking input from someone who'd recently done just what I am doing; I wasn't after patronising advice from a builder of freighters or whatever.

Thanks though for bumping my query back up the list; maybe someone who has something useful to offer might now just come forward.

 

You did not touched any nerve as I do not bother about the fantasies of a stubborn guy, there are more interesting things in life. But sometimes there is a need to explain some basic facts to people lacking of the minimal social education, as your parents and or teachers missed that point of education.
As some explained to you it had been tried several times without a shadow of success, the most known being the Stiletto 27. It was so useless that was abandoned, like the square wheels in the neolithic, as circular wheels were found to work better.
From time to time it surges again, like the A mast and other pseudo innovations with the same results: failure.
You are stuck in the feeling that you're right and the other a bunch of retarded: that's the believer, convinced he has the true truth. We have millions like you on our poor planet. But you are somewhere enough insecure to ask approbation on a forum. Lack of luck, everybody said: no good.
Try yourself, make it maybe you'll like it for yourself, and if that suits your personal needs, good luck...
Visibly you're unable to make the minimal structural calculations (level; high school maths) to understand the engineering immediate issues. You are so unable to understand that you immediately begin to despise (and insult) those not agreeing with you, that's typical of the guy unable to argument rationally in a technical subject. when it's irrational belief, there is no rational discussion possible.
Stay convinced that you're right and the thousands of pros wrong, it's so comfortable when it's impossible to think otherwise. You are free to think in that way. But please learn to be polite in a forum. Have a nice day.
PS antic multis are interesting for historical purposes, not for modern design.

 

Ilan,

I hope you keep a copy of your comment. You will need it again, as you well understand.

While I understand Wand will not understand the message, it is one of the best responses in a while.

The casually insulting response just classifies Wand as the person you pointed out.


Wand,

Good luck with your experiment.

 

Wow, this guy really fires up. Some sort of personal insecurity or professional self-doubt maybe?

Whatever, I have no idea why folk who have nothing to offer in the way of an answer to my original query continue to post on this thread. To iterate, I was seeking to make contact with anyone who might be toying and playing with a line of enquiry similar to the one I described. If there are none, which is very possible, then it follows that the thread would lapse. No problemo!

But for those who just want to bang on and chuck fruities, please find another sandpit.

 

Why thank you there squire: sincerity is indeed an admirable attribute...at least in those who possess it. And I mean that most sincerely

 

Wand,

The nature of a forum is that everyone has an equal right to post their opinion/ experience/ fantasy.

A little tolerance on both sides is required to make it work and to be worth something.
So if you really don't like the attitude or answer you get, just put that person on your "ignore" list. That way you don't feed a controversy and drive potential useful answers away.

You know the saying - " there is no point in arguing with an idiot".
It works both ways, time will tell who that describes.

Your attitude invites conflict, not useful discussion.

 

Well golly gosh, I think I've just been admonished by a preacher man.

Thanks for your sermon; just a pity that it failed to offer one skerrick of information on the question posed. Its content consisted almost entirely of flatulent, gratuitous advice.

Why on earth, I have to ask, do busy-bodies continue to waste their time composing useless posts containing nothing pertaining to the question asked?

It's a question that intrigues me now almost more than the question in my original post. I'm starting to think there might be a whole PhD in it

For that reason alone, I'd never put you or your offsider on the ignore list.

 

Sorry, can't return the favor, I am going to put on the ignore list. You are only the second person to reach this pinnacle.

Anyone who knows me would die laughing at me being called a preacher.

Have fun.

 

If you have ever owned a dark hulled boat the reason for lower value would be obvious.

The question to ask is not "why not central rudder"

the question is "why a central rudder?" what would it do better?

 

Happy Feet

This boat was built in Thailand and uses a single rudder and single daggerboard on an assembly that can be left centered or moved side to side.
It also uses lifting foils on both the rudder and daggerboard.
click for better view:

 

Thanks kindly for those pics. Somewhat more complex than the level I'm operating at but, nevertheless, I'd be keen to know if there exists any documentation re performance/handling issues with this setup, on this model or something similar. Would appreciate any relevant links or contacts...

 

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You could google "Happy Feet". Last I heard it was doing quite well. It certainly is an innovative cat.