Hunter 260 Homemade Rudder Replacement

[Hoop2125]

Our aftermarket rudder recently broke on our H260. This article should help anyone wanting to make their own. The company who made the original one was no longer in business . I found a company called Rudder Craft and discovered they offered a blue water version that is longer and wider, for only $869. I decided to look around see i i could find the material to make it myself. The material is called HDPE or High-density polyethylene. I found this material at a supplier called Alro Plastics, and it was only $230. tools i used, power plainer, belt sander, palm sander and a very important marking gauge.
We always battled our boat in moderate to heavy winds, so I decided to make it longer and wider than the original aftermarket rudder.

WORKS GREAT!!!

 

[BobSail]

Excellent article! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Let us know how it works. One area of concern is the rudder head. I have not checked out if Foss Foam Products of Flroida, Inc. or Newrudders.com is still in buisness but they make the rudders for the 260.

When a rudder failed, some were due to manufacturering which Hunter covered under warranty but in other cases caused by the captain. Too much to explain but it did happen.

Once on a larger boat, the skippere said he never ran aground but when the boat was hauled out, concrete with rebarb and coarl deeply embedded in the lead keel, back end of the keel seperated from the hull, one third of the rudder missing, hull damage at water line and below and so forth. Each incident has a causual relationship so not all the time these rudders broke due to manufacturing but also due to sailor error.

If you have the oringal rudder and the rudder head breaks, cut off the top and drill a hole and secure it in the down position and head home easily. Had to do that once when demonstrating the 260.

crazy dave condon

 

[Jackdaw]

Clever!

Does it flex under heavy tiller load? HDPE (starboard) is pretty wonderful stuff but not actually all that rigid. I would not be surprised if the bottom does not flex 6-8 inches while sailing in heavy weather. It's a long span of the stuff!

 

[Mike in Cape Cod]

Don't breathe that stuff while planing, shaping and cutting it. It is quite toxic !

 

[Hoop2125]

We used it for our last sailing trip last year, and it worked so much better than the other one. We can't tell if there is any flexing, the water distorts what we see. We suspect the old one was cracked for a while by the way the boat handles now. I did make it a full 2" thick at the top, where the other aftermarket one was only 1.5". I didn’t use starboard, I uses solid HDPE. It seems a little more solid than starboard, but I have never seen 2" starboard, so it might be just the same.

Don't breathe it, now you tell me, LOL. I will flush my system with lots of rum to counteract the toxins ;-)

 

[justsomeguy]

Don't breathe that stuff while planing, shaping and cutting it. It is quite toxic !

Huh?

http://www.ecologycenter.org/iptf/plastic_types/HDPESCIENCE.html

Although it can be problematic when it finally turns into tiny bits and gets into the food chain...or you're burning it with dull tools and inhaling the offgas.

Nice looking rudder!

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Lets hope the new rudder works well and I would appreciate Hoop2125 how it works later in the season.

crazy dave condon

 

[Stan Breaux]

I used to have a Mac 26S with an Idasailor rudder

Did Idasailor go out of business?

I've always thought the problem with these rudders breaking was because people didn't have the rudder locked fully down.

The difference in stress forces on a rudder that is vertical (very low force) compared to one that is allowed to angle slightly aft (very high force) is extreme.

 

[anchorclanker]

Yeah, I would like to know how it works out too.

Just to confirm, NACA 0012 is current recommended airfoil for rudders and keel fins?

 

[Hoop2125]

We have had some time now using the rudder and I have to say it works AWSOME! Since more stays in the water we have much better control in heavier winds. I'm glad the old one broke now.

 

[centerline]

Did Idasailor go out of business?

I've always thought the problem with these rudders breaking was because people didn't have the rudder locked fully down.

The difference in stress forces on a rudder that is vertical (very low force) compared to one that is allowed to angle slightly aft (very high force) is extreme.

the force on a rudder in waves or a following sea where the boat has a tendency to yaw a bit can be a lot. even when the boat is over canvassed and heeling more than necessary, it can load the rudder due to side slip.
when it remains on its axis and is properly balanced, even though you dont feel it in the helm or tiller, the pressure can be quite high at times .
but when the rudder either folds back a little, or the rudder shaft gets bent back for some reason, then you feel the strain, and not only do you feel it, but now its getting stress from both the top and bottom due to the helmsman fighting it, which is the very high force you mention...... and you are right that a folding rudder that is out of position in its seat will have a much higher chance of fracture than one that is properly supported, but it can happen at anytime if there is a weak spot in it...