I haven't done any cutting yet. Too busy yet working in the house addition and trying to get the Catalina 250 into the water.
I have found something that I'm not sure is common knowledge here about the rudders. There is a deep draft later model H-33 on the hard near me that I was able to measure. The rudder measures 42 inches from top to bottom. My rudder on my later model shoal draft H-33 measures 35 inches top to bottom. If we weren't sure before, we can be fairly certain now that the shoal and deep rudders are in fact, different depths.
Based on what I can see from the pictures, It appears Paul, that yours is the shoal draft. If I subtract 7" from the 35" it leaves 28" of rudder top to bottom. Does that sound about right?
Paul, It appears I will probably be in or around Clearwater sometime around Labor day without a boat. I'm inviting myself for a sail on your boat. How's that for Jersey style?