trailing sea

[AusCan]

I prefer a following sea over any other direction when the swell is up. My rudder is slightly bigger than most similar sized boats and may help a bit, but the rounded stern certainly is an advantage.
I'm sure there is a limit to where I have good control, but the boat seems to really enjoy a good surf.

 

[N4712]

We also prefer a following sea as well over any other.

 

[Brooksie]

My 2006 mainship pilot is hard to handle in a trailing sea almost dangerous if the seas get to bad. Has anybidy considered adding a larger rudder.

jamie I say try it. Drill a couple of holes in your rudder and make up a couple of different sized plates w/ & w/o wedge. with matching holes. Try them out applying them w/ mask & snorkel in turn. That will get you headed in the right direction. If your steering feels "harder" that means your rudder has gained power. The harder steering can be delt with later w/ more balance and/or (depending on your system) a leverage change. A rudder that fits up close to the hull gains power by lessening water that spills over the top of it. A dam along the bottom increases this effect w/o actually enlarging the rudder much. How about a picture of your rudder? What material?
You could always swap for a canoe stern like the Island Seeker...

 

[READY2GO]

jamie I say try it. Drill a couple of holes in your rudder and make up a couple of different sized plates w/ & w/o wedge. with matching holes. Try them out applying them w/ mask & snorkel in turn. That will get you headed in the right direction. If your steering feels "harder" that means your rudder has gained power. The harder steering can be delt with later w/ more balance and/or (depending on your system) a leverage change. A rudder that fits up close to the hull gains power by lessening water that spills over the top of it. A dam along the bottom increases this effect w/o actually enlarging the rudder much. How about a picture of your rudder? What material?
You could always swap for a canoe stern like the Island Seeker...

This is a link to a post on our blog of the temporary rudder extension that I made. It worked out so well that at the next haul out we had a permanent extension installed. The temporary one cost me about $90 to make and just clamped onto the rudder. I just used snorkel gear and an allen wrench to attach it. We left the temporary one in place for a year until we hauled out.

Living Aboard MV Walkabout: July 2013

 

[Nomad Willy]

Jamie mac,
I think you're more or less stuck. I got much better (great actually) rudder response by attaching the hyd cyl shaft to a hole closer to the rudder shaft thereby increasing the max rudder deflection from 35 degrees to 45 degrees each way. Had the desired affect on my FD boat but your Mainship is much too fast for that.

Adding wedges, articulating mechanisms or other mods that I'm familiar w will add considerable drag at higher speeds. That's why the rudders are so small. You could increase the rudder size by adding fore and aft extensions but the percentage of area fore and aft of the original rudder may be optimized for a certian speed. If the rudder is made bigger it will feed back forces not known w the smaller rudder. Basically you'll be going experimental.

There is one option that will probably work enough to make you happy. Power steering. And the bigger rudder. I would think optimizing the ballance would best be done w manual (mechanical or hydraulic) and then converting to power steering. Fast power steering w a big rudder would seem bullet proof to me but never seen such a system nor read of one indicating how it may work.

Wedges and most other add on trailing edge mods will increase steering power but they may need to be big to increase the power enough to make you smile. You may just get sore arms in a following sea or sore arms and a little better response.

Most people w faster boats just accept the way the boat was built and live w it. I went to hydraulic steering and less mechanical advantage to get the additional rudder deflection but my over sized hydraulic components give extra resistance because of the bigger rubber seals and the lower mechanical advantage. My steering is a bit heavy but tolerable. I use all of my rudder swing in big following seas and for manerverability in tight quarters. It was a good trade for me but a faster boat like yours has fewer options.

 

[Poach]

Many Boats
"Most people w faster boats just accept the way the boat was built and live w it."

I do that crossing the Strait of Jaun de Fuca when possible, setting my speed to match the speed of the swell. It doesn't always work so I have the same woes as others. (Haro Strait is another matter--everyone has their work cut out for them there in an ebb against a SW wind.)