Daysailer III Rudder

Sep 29, 2013
36
Oday O'Day 222, O'Day 19 Casco Bay, Falmouth, ME
Hi,
I purchased what I thought was a Daysailer II, only to realize after I bought it that it is a Daysailer III. The prior owner had put the package together from different boats. The rudder is from a Daysailer II, and one of the pintles was moved on the rudder head to make it fit the gudgeons on the Daysailer III. I believe the transom is higher on the Daysailer III than the Daysailer II, and find that when heeling in heavier winds that the rudder loses purchase because it is shorter than what it should be for this hull.

I'm looking for someone who can either send me the dimensions of a Daysailer III rudder blade, and how much above the bottom of the transom that the pivot point is located.

Even better, would be an owner within reasonable driving distance from Portland, Maine that would let me see their boat, take measurements and get a better feel for the arrangement. I have seen that I can buy a replacement rudder for the Daysailer III from D & R Marine, but may choose to make my own.
Thanks,
Wood Jigger
 
Jun 2, 2004
1,923
Oday Day Sailer Wareham, MA
The DS II rudder that you have, is it one of the fiberglass kick-up rudders (1959-82) or a newer, 1983-85 style with an aluminum top portion and wood or fiberglass blade?
Actually, I guess yo uanswered that question by refering to one of the pintles having been moved....

The DS III is not a "Day Sailer" in the eyes of the Day Sailer Class Association, so you can build a new rudder or buy a similar one without a problem of matching "class-required" dimensions. The higher freeboard in the stern is the biggest reason for the DS II not being "class-legal", however.... I don't know off the top of my head how much higher it is. (see below for dimensions of gudgeon locations on my boat)

Tha DS III rudder was supposed to be the same as the O'DAY 19 rudder from what I've heard. So, there is another source of info. You could just make a deeper blade to fit the fiberglass rudder top that you have..... but I don't have the blade depth for the DS III. Pictures below may or may not help. The 1984 DS II rudder (white fiberglass blade) that I show was not class-legal and O'DAY got in "hot-water" with the DSA over it. However, that may very well match the blade depth of the DS III rudder. The yellow DS II pictured is mine, you can get an idea of the rudder depth from that (for older rudder on a DS II).

BTW: My rudder will lose grip as the boat heels beyond a certain point...... and I have a DS II rudder on my DS II. I see it as a safety factor, boat turns into the wind if heeled too far. Of course it isn't "fun" if there is an obstacle that I';m trying to avoid hitting as the boat heels!
 

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Sep 29, 2013
36
Oday O'Day 222, O'Day 19 Casco Bay, Falmouth, ME
Sunbird,
Thought I'd responded, but it didn't show up, so I must not have hit "submit". Thanks for your quick response. My rudder assembly (head and blade) is fiberglass and exactly like yours.

As it turns out, I purchased an O'Day 19 late last fall, and will check to see if the rudder from that boat fits the gudgeons on the DS III. Even if it doesn't, the rudder blade may be the same as those used on the DS III's. If anyone can confirm that, it would be appreciated.

Thanks again,
Wood Jigger
 
Apr 11, 2014
36
Oday Widgeon Worcester, Mass
Hah, you think your confused, listen to this!
I'm absolutely new to sailing, but I found I wanted a nice 12 footer, so I bought a nice little 1984 Widgeon. Not knowing anything, I noticed a big difference of my rudder with other Widgeons. It's identical to the brown bladed one in your photograph! A DS III ?
I intend to sail with it. Over the winter I stained and varnished the blade, it looks like wood to me!
What's the down side of using it?
 
Sep 29, 2013
36
Oday O'Day 222, O'Day 19 Casco Bay, Falmouth, ME
Widgeon Rudder

Sneaky Peat,
Go to D & R Marine and look at the rudders for Widgeons. They have two styles. I'll bet the one with the wood rudder head is what you have, and since it was made for the boat, it should work great.

Wood Jigger
 
Jun 2, 2004
1,923
Oday Day Sailer Wareham, MA
Hah, you think your confused, listen to this!
I'm absolutely new to sailing, but I found I wanted a nice 12 footer, so I bought a nice little 1984 Widgeon. Not knowing anything, I noticed a big difference of my rudder with other Widgeons. It's identical to the brown bladed one in your photograph! A DS III ?
I intend to sail with it. Over the winter I stained and varnished the blade, it looks like wood to me!
What's the down side of using it?
If it is a rudder from a larger boat, it could affect the overall balance of the boat, that is the relationship between the rudder and centerboard, causing the center of the underwater area to be too far aft causing a "Lee Helm" (boat tends to fall off to leeward as it sails) a small boat like the Widgeon should have a slight "Weather Helm" that is a tendency to turn into the wind as she sails. The weather helm effect should not be excessive, but if you let go of the tiller the boat should gently turn into the wind.

HOWEVER, the 1984 WIDGEON did have a rudder like the rudders shown above (aluminum top part, wood or fiberglass blade) just with a smaller blade proportionably. The 1984-86 Widgeons had a wooden blade. Earlier Widgeons (1963-83) had a rudder that was fiberglass for the top part and aluminum plate for the blade. Rudy at D&R made quite a few copies of this rudder design using a wooden top part (bright finished) before I think he found the old O'DAY rudder mold.

See pics below for Widgeon rudders. The one of the wood blade rudder that is labeled is actually from a 1984-5 Javelin, but the Widgeon rudder was basically the same just had a smaller blade (looks like they just shortened the blade to fit the Widgeon).
 

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Apr 11, 2014
36
Oday Widgeon Worcester, Mass
Well then see...there was a good reason I was confused. Mine has the big aluminum housing and the wood rudder and it is shorter. I thought it was a cut down DSIII.
 
Sep 29, 2013
36
Oday O'Day 222, O'Day 19 Casco Bay, Falmouth, ME
Sunbird,
I've checked my rudder on the O'Day 19, and I'm not sure it is the same as the one for the DS III. The blade chord is 2" longer than the DS II rudder. From the looks of photographs, I don't believe the DS III blade chord is any longer than the DS II rudder. Can anyone confirm the dimensions of the DSIII blade?
Thanks,
 
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