New rudder again?

[mike4947]

There has been a lot of activity on the sunfish listserve about "prototype" rudders being tested at the North Americans.
Do we really need something else to create a bigger division in the supposedly one design Sunfish class?

You can bet the push is by the small number of hard core racers that don't mind ponying up a couple hundred bucks a year or so to keep competative.

Not to mention all the results they say they "need" can be accomplished by simply moving the mounting for the existing rudder to make it more vertical in respect to the hull.
The fan tail mounting almost straight out creates a lot of side force and little actual "steering" as compared to a more vertical mounting which would give less side force and more steering.
The side force at least in my humble opinion and experience the major cause of a great percentage of cracked rudders.

 

[sailorf2]

As far as i know really nothing is happening. I havent heard a lot of talk about it recently. I don't think vanguard would want to have to make a new rudder since they just got the stuff for the plastic rudder (the one that is the same size and shape)

 

[Al Court]

Mike,

This all goes back to the design flaw in the Sunfish, weather helm caused by the mast being placed too far aft. Makes it kind of crazy to hear this boat received an award as being one of the 25 best designed products in the U.S. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!