I recently purchased a 1980 O'day 22'. The rudder and tiller are missing. Is there any reason that a homemade rudder made from 1/2" plywood and fiberglass will not work? Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Homemade rudder?
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You sure could
You sure could. It’s an easy rudder to make and it has a shape that is almost entirely made from straight lines. The leading edge is straight and matches the transom then going down to a depth equal to the boats draft and the bottom edge is also straight and in line with the bottom of the keel. The aft edge is straight and goes from the aft bottom edge to a point a few inches aft of the leading edge at the top. The tiller was attached by straps on each side of the rudder. It had an airfoil shape in section so if you want to shape it all the better. I think 1/2” plywood is too thin but it will work for a starter will you research the original. All the best, Robert Gainer
You sure could. It’s an easy rudder to make and it has a shape that is almost entirely made from straight lines. The leading edge is straight and matches the transom then going down to a depth equal to the boats draft and the bottom edge is also straight and in line with the bottom of the keel. The aft edge is straight and goes from the aft bottom edge to a point a few inches aft of the leading edge at the top. The tiller was attached by straps on each side of the rudder. It had an airfoil shape in section so if you want to shape it all the better. I think 1/2” plywood is too thin but it will work for a starter will you research the original. All the best, Robert Gainer
Wes...
...if you decide to do it...and the rudder freom a 75' Oda 22 is the same...I will be glad to e-mail you the dimensions and photos next Satuday when I get home. Just let me know. Jack
...if you decide to do it...and the rudder freom a 75' Oda 22 is the same...I will be glad to e-mail you the dimensions and photos next Satuday when I get home. Just let me know. Jack
Plus to fine tune your project.
After roughly shaping the profile of your new rudder, you can use rubber cement to sandwich a layer of styrofoam to each side, then with a rasp shape to the desired contour and glass over the whole kit and kaboodle. Voila, Piece of cake. Fair Winds, Bill
After roughly shaping the profile of your new rudder, you can use rubber cement to sandwich a layer of styrofoam to each side, then with a rasp shape to the desired contour and glass over the whole kit and kaboodle. Voila, Piece of cake. Fair Winds, Bill
D & R Marine
I started sailing on an O'Day 20. She was old and I needed a few parts to get her back in shape. Here is something I learned: D & R Marine bought out the parts inventory for O'Day's product line when O'Day went out of business. They have the O'Day 22 rudder & tiller in stock. Link below.
I started sailing on an O'Day 20. She was old and I needed a few parts to get her back in shape. Here is something I learned: D & R Marine bought out the parts inventory for O'Day's product line when O'Day went out of business. They have the O'Day 22 rudder & tiller in stock. Link below.
Dont use cheap Plywood
Hi .. Have built rudders for a FINN in the past . Dont use cheap ply . You get two outers going one way and a cheap bit in the middle with voids going the other way . What you need is either multi layer ply ( 5 ) marine grade or build it up using peices of say 2" X 2" Hardwood glued together . Using strips means the rudder will not twist . You can give it an aircraft wing shape by planning and sanding and then cover in a couple of layers of fibreglass . Never managed to break one .. Great winter project . Also keeps you warm .
and Fit ....
Hi .. Have built rudders for a FINN in the past . Dont use cheap ply . You get two outers going one way and a cheap bit in the middle with voids going the other way . What you need is either multi layer ply ( 5 ) marine grade or build it up using peices of say 2" X 2" Hardwood glued together . Using strips means the rudder will not twist . You can give it an aircraft wing shape by planning and sanding and then cover in a couple of layers of fibreglass . Never managed to break one .. Great winter project . Also keeps you warm .
and Fit ....
Make it Strong!
Don't underestimate the loads your rudder could be under. Plywood, unless of very high quality, is generally a poor choice for rudders. It could be used as a core material for a fiberglass rudder, but you would want a majority of the strength to come from the glass. Plywood only has a portion of the layers oriented in the proper direction. For a rudder, you really want all structural wood to have its grain running vertically. The following link is for an article about rudder strength for a particular 24' sailboat. 1/2" ply, even sheathed in glass, would not be able to handle the loads for this boat which is only 2' longer. The article tells you the thickness needed at the pintel areas to handle various surface areas. You really want to be confident that your rudder will not part ways when the going gets rough. Chris
Don't underestimate the loads your rudder could be under. Plywood, unless of very high quality, is generally a poor choice for rudders. It could be used as a core material for a fiberglass rudder, but you would want a majority of the strength to come from the glass. Plywood only has a portion of the layers oriented in the proper direction. For a rudder, you really want all structural wood to have its grain running vertically. The following link is for an article about rudder strength for a particular 24' sailboat. 1/2" ply, even sheathed in glass, would not be able to handle the loads for this boat which is only 2' longer. The article tells you the thickness needed at the pintel areas to handle various surface areas. You really want to be confident that your rudder will not part ways when the going gets rough. Chris
Rudder rebuild
in Boat Works magazine summer 2007 has a step by step article. Shows 35 hours with a skill level 7-8 out of ten. I have heard of a company that sells aluminum rudders for the serious one designers but that is all i know.
in Boat Works magazine summer 2007 has a step by step article. Shows 35 hours with a skill level 7-8 out of ten. I have heard of a company that sells aluminum rudders for the serious one designers but that is all i know.
Thanks for all the help
I want to thank everybody that responded to my problem. I only paid $400 for the boat so I can't justify spending $500 on a new rudder. I will let everyone know my success/failure with my project. By the way, I have never owned a sailboat, so any other advice is welcome.
I want to thank everybody that responded to my problem. I only paid $400 for the boat so I can't justify spending $500 on a new rudder. I will let everyone know my success/failure with my project. By the way, I have never owned a sailboat, so any other advice is welcome.
Not to be a wet blanket
But one of the things you will learn about sailboats is that they cost $ to maintain. I broke a rudder on a Catalina 22 and the replacement was about $600. There is a reason for that. The rudder is subjected to great pressures. A 1/2" plywood rudder will not last long. Sailing in a strong wind (that is when the rudder will break) without a rudder is not fun at all. Been there. Done that. A do-it-yourself approach is fun and there are lots of suitable projects on a boat. In my opinion the rudder (and all standing rigging) is not one of them. My two cents.
But one of the things you will learn about sailboats is that they cost $ to maintain. I broke a rudder on a Catalina 22 and the replacement was about $600. There is a reason for that. The rudder is subjected to great pressures. A 1/2" plywood rudder will not last long. Sailing in a strong wind (that is when the rudder will break) without a rudder is not fun at all. Been there. Done that. A do-it-yourself approach is fun and there are lots of suitable projects on a boat. In my opinion the rudder (and all standing rigging) is not one of them. My two cents.
Advice given...
Randy gave you good advice. Take it. Buy a rudder & tiller. The NADA book value of a 1980 O'Day 22 is between $3500 and $4000. Pretty easy to justify buying the rudder, replacing sheets & halyards, even replacing sails if necessary.
Randy gave you good advice. Take it. Buy a rudder & tiller. The NADA book value of a 1980 O'Day 22 is between $3500 and $4000. Pretty easy to justify buying the rudder, replacing sheets & halyards, even replacing sails if necessary.
Wes I can think of several reasons, many of them
have been explained already. Only if you are competant to design a structure strong enough to take the strain and stress applied to a rudder should you consider it a Do-it-yourself project. How will you shape the rudder from only a piece of 1/2 inch plywood ? What grade of plywood will you choose? Do you have the tools to take on such a job? Have you worked with fiberglass and resins before? Are you a perfectionist? (for this you must be). Do you KNOW why the rudder broke? Are all of the other parts still there?
have been explained already. Only if you are competant to design a structure strong enough to take the strain and stress applied to a rudder should you consider it a Do-it-yourself project. How will you shape the rudder from only a piece of 1/2 inch plywood ? What grade of plywood will you choose? Do you have the tools to take on such a job? Have you worked with fiberglass and resins before? Are you a perfectionist? (for this you must be). Do you KNOW why the rudder broke? Are all of the other parts still there?
Just do it
The company selling you a rudder doesn’t know or care how much you paid for the boat. The cost of a part for the boat is based on how much work and materials it takes to make the part not how much the boat is worth. When you buy a boat you have a choice of buying a finished boat that is ready to go or buying an incomplete or damaged boat and spending either your time or your money or both making up the difference. You didn’t pay much for the boat because she needed things and now you have to pay the piper one way or another. After all, buying the boat was only the cost of admission to the game. A rudder is one of the simplest parts you can build for a boat. If anything is doable by the owner it’s building a transom-hung rudder. It doesn’t need to be pretty; it just needs to be strong. You don’t even need to make a glass one because wood rudders work and have been made for many many years. Just do it. All the best, Robert Gainer
The company selling you a rudder doesn’t know or care how much you paid for the boat. The cost of a part for the boat is based on how much work and materials it takes to make the part not how much the boat is worth. When you buy a boat you have a choice of buying a finished boat that is ready to go or buying an incomplete or damaged boat and spending either your time or your money or both making up the difference. You didn’t pay much for the boat because she needed things and now you have to pay the piper one way or another. After all, buying the boat was only the cost of admission to the game. A rudder is one of the simplest parts you can build for a boat. If anything is doable by the owner it’s building a transom-hung rudder. It doesn’t need to be pretty; it just needs to be strong. You don’t even need to make a glass one because wood rudders work and have been made for many many years. Just do it. All the best, Robert Gainer
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