A Strange Rudder

[atpjim]

The haul out went well. The bottom is in pretty good shape.
Has anyone ever seen a rudder like this before?
It was installed in 92 and I believe it might be a Swift Rudder.
It works great. But I have never used a standard rudder.

 

[Bob4203]

Wow, will you look at that!? How interesting.

My first thought was how easy this rudder would easily catch trap and buoy lines after springing up from the keel, or would be perfect for steadying the vessel during a grounding (strength of this would be doubtful).

I have never sen anything like this in my 50+ years of sailing . I can see some benefit in stability and agility in the turns, but it looks rather fragile and I have to ask just how strong this rudder is and how susceptible it would be to damage.

Bob

 

[mortyd]

have you bought this boat?

 

[Calif. Ted]

I've seen reference to an "Implere Swift Bifurcated Rudder" and a mention in the Mainsheet Technical Tips of May 1991 regarding installation on a Cat 30. There's also a bifurcated sailboat rudder patented in 1989 by Gary L. Hulls of New Holland, PA. The theory seemed to be that when heeled one blade would be straight down and the other horizontal.
Never seen one, they haven't caught on.

 

[PaulK]

What is the point of this rudder? it doubles the wetted surface at all times, and when you are heeled over, and move the tiller, the only thing the upper wing can do is slow the boat down by either trying to drive the bow up or down: nothing to do with turning the boat. Some newer, beamy boats do have canted double rudders, but the windward blade tends to be out of the water (reducing wetted surface) when the boat heels. This setup does not seem to offer that possibility.