Does anybody have experience with "Idasailor" rudders?

[SeaTR]

I'm looking at rudder options for my salvage 1981 Hunter 22 that did not have its rudder assembly when I bought it. I was thinking of making the rudder and rudder post myself. Herv (northern PA) has been kind enough to provide me dimensions from his H22, but I'm considering buying the whole assembly from Idasailor.com as they have a "high performance" kick-up rudder to fit the H22 made of HDPE. I have no idea the reliability of their design.

I'm also considering buying the rudder blade from Fossfoam.com and making only the rudder post myself. I know Fossfoam has been around a long time and has a pretty good reputation, but they only make rudder blades, and I need the entire assembly.

Any Idasailor rudder users out there?

 

[George H260]

This is based only on my experience with the H260.

IdaSailor has a very good reputation. They make excellent (but not industructable) blades and rudder assemblies.

The H260 has a foss foam rudder that has a foam core that helps the rudder float when it kicks up, but is prone to cracking and is easily damaged because it has a thin fiberglass core.

Check out this knowledgebase article by Pat Adam on his experience with the IdaSailor rudder.

http://sbo.sailboatowners.com/index.php?option=com_mtree&task=viewlink&link_id=6410&Itemid=257

Also, some more info here:


More at this link.

http://h260.com/rudder/rudder_problems/rudder.html

 

[Mike Howell]

I have an Idasailor rudder. Mt original was damaged at the ramp.

It was hit by a truck while I was 'derigging' the boat. I looked at both, the original (Fossfoam) rudder and Idasailor for the replacement rudder. I went with Idasailor and bought the tiller, rudder and rudder holder. Joel (Idasailor owner) answered all of my questions and got the order out to me quickly. The costs were similar IIRC.

The Idasailor rudder is Plastic, if you forget to raise it when retrieving the boat, you'll damage the tip and, to my knowledge, you can't repair it. I was and expert at repairing the original rudder tip . So far I've remembered to raise the Idasailor rudder each time.

I'm satisfied with the Idasailor setup. I've had it for 3 years.

Mike

 

[SeaTR]

IdaSailor looks good... other options out there??

Thanks George and Mike!

I'm new to the "bigger boats" scene with this boat as I've been sailing 16 footers and less for the past 30 yrs and needed to stop being the ballast !!

I'm nearly sold on the IdaSailor rudder, but can't seem to find other options to compare with before I make the "leap" other than 1) FossFoam blade and making the assembly myself, or 2) local production of the blade and making the assembly myself.

Charlie

 

[MikeH]

Charlie,
I replaced my H260 factory rudder two years ago with the IdaSailor rudder and it was the best investment I ever made. I checked out as many other resources as I could find, not many, and re-built my original rudder twice. My original rudder's pivot point was cracking under the strain of previous weather-helm, and one day I heard a firecracker go off, looked down, and saw the rudder blade at a 15 degree angle to the boat. I tore that thing apart, re-glassed, reinforced, and within a few months it was cracking again. The IdaSailor rudder is rigid and tough. IMHO you can keep looking for something to compare or try to build your own, but in the end you'll save a lot of pain if you just go with this.

 

[SeaTR]

Probably so...

Thanks MikeH, it seems like IdaSailor is my best option right now.

Charlie

 

[SeaTR]

Grazi, gracias, vielen danke, merci and thanks !

...to Mike, George, and Mike H,

I just received my new IdaSailor rudder, installed it (dry) and am VERY pleased with the fit, quality and design...I'll let you know how it does during sea trials. I have yet to sail this boat and have been working on it off and on for 1 1/2 years. In the meantime, I've been sailing my 16' Paceship (Canada Paceship not CT), but can't wait to dip the Hunter in the Thames River this spring.

The rudder situation was one of the last items on my "to sail" checklist...the "overnight" checklist is still 'working'.

Thanks again to you all.
Charlie

 

[MikeH]

Charlie,
Best of luck, and hope sailing season comes soon for you! I see you're on Long Island Sound. Coincidentally I bought my 260 from a guy who sailed it on Manhasset Bay - and then I trailered it back to Ohio! The morning on the bay giving it a sea trial was memorable!

 

[SeaTR]

can't wait for spring...

Mike H--
thanks, Manhasset Bay is on the "other end" of Long Island Sound and in NY. I'm out past the 'north fork' in CT by Fishers Island. I've never sailed that end of the sound...it's a long ways away (~80 miles) for my other boat (Paceship 16) to go.

Do you sail on Lake Erie?
--Charlie

 

[MikeH]

Yep, we sail Lake Erie. We're on the west end in Toledo and several times during the season take week-long mini-cruises to the islands near Sandusky and Cedar Point amusement park.

Got some great pictures at http://community.webshots.com/user/sailor602

 

[SeaTR]

West Sister ??

Nice pix!

I think this is one of the islands in the west end of Erie that was featured on the TV show "Dirty Jobs"...maybe? Is there a Coast Guard station there?

 

[Harvey18647]

Super photos! I didn't even know that you could get the 260 with a tiller, all the ones I've seen have that darned wheel!

 

[MikeH]

I don't watch Dirty Jobs very often, but I didn't think West Sister Island had been featured. It's a national wildlife refuge island and visitors are not allowed on it. The only structure on it is a lighthouse that has not been manned since 1937 - then I found a reference that they did film them tagging birds on a "vomit island" - which turned out to be West Sister!

As for the tiller - I love it. Sitting up on the stern seats with my tiller extension in hand and the boat heeling about 20 degrees is the life! Thanks!