How did you deal with the loss of your rudder?

[Mark Major]

Recent exchange has given rise to this question, and though I have my solutions, I'm curious as to how others have handled this. Mine was an instance when in the Florida Straights I broke welds on my rudder housing, rendering it useless, and was able to make it back with my outboard. I repaired my rudder, but then while attempting the rest of my sail (destination: north of Tampa) my motor seized, my battery went dead, and I sailed three more days imagining how the first "blow boaters" managed (I finally hauled out in Charlotte Harbor, beaten). Given nothing but the resources on your boat (no phone or radio), how did you, or would you, manage to make safe harbor with a compromised rudder? Mark Major, s/v Lesismor, 86H23

 

[Joe Ford]

Jury rigging

How about hose clamping a flat piece of wood (like a hatch board or small table top) to your spinnaker or whisker pole. Then lash it to the stern pulpint. Or you could drag something from one side or the other to neutralize the helm and steer with the sails. Or maybe knotted warps of heavy dockline leading to winches to adjust the drag from side to side.

 

[John]

bucket

You could try a strong galvanised metal bucket(the type with a strong metal handle), this can be trailed astern on a long rope, then veered from side to side with another length of rope led to one of your winches. If the drag is on the stbd side of the boat you will turn to stbd and vice verca .

 

[David Foster]

Excellent article

in a recent Sail or Sailing detailed jury rigging alterantives.Our current plan is carrying the longest possible paddle with a pre-drilled blade to accept u-bolting of a settee locker cover. This would then be lashed to the stern pulpit stanchion.When combined with sail tuning we believe this will get us back to port, even in rough weather.DavidLady Lillie

 

[Robert Moretti]

Drogue

Instead of using a bucket, I carry a small drogue which is attached to a bridle and trailed behind the boat. The bridle is attached to the winches on both sides. Taking in line on a winch will turn the boat.