RUDDER HEEL BEARING, STRAP, AND RIVETING, Clyde description of rudder construct

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Comment by bob mitchell on January 18, 2012 at 3:05am

     Since I am in the process of organizing my work into albums with commentary according to boat location, I am going to include part of an email by Clyde on rudder construction.

From Clyde:    "

Now, the rudder:  I was sure you were planning to prop up the rudder.  The rudder is made of two layers of one inch plywood, tapered somewhat (you may be able to figure out how much, but you may not need the info).  The rudder stock is shaped for the notch in the leading edge to allow the shaft to be removed without removing the rudder (turn her hard over one way or the other).  This bend not only allows that, it also aids in “grabbing” the blade as the stock turns.  There are bronze rods going through the stock from its forward “face” through the blade to its after edge.  A washer and nut are used to tighten the blade to the stock (a flat bottomed countersink is used; plugged later).  Back up a little: the two pieces of plywood making up the rudder are cut to shape.  The holes for the rods are routed out with a core box cutter (half round on each piece).  A pattern was used to route these which makes sure the left and right grooves line up to make the holes for the rods (which you know must be threaded on the outboard ends).  The two halves are glued and screwed together.  The leading edge of the blade is half round routed out for the back half of the rudder stock.  The forward end of the rod holes in the stock are countersunk to allow riveting the ends of the rods over to give it a good hold of the stock.  Now the fairing, tapering (if it is needed), and rounding over of the edges free of the stock are all done.  Last job is a couple or more layers fiberglass, to match what you see. "