Articulating Rudder

Suggest you consider the fishtail rudder. 1hr. installation of two ss fins bent at 15 degrees, two bolts, 4 nuts. total cost less than $80.

Our boat was built with an improper rudder design. The designer had specified a balanced rudder. The builder ignored his instructions. The boat was extremely difficult to turn in tight quarters. The fishtails made a tremendous difference.
Don't need no stinkin' stern thruster

DDW said:

I'm curious as to where the cost estimates for an articulating rudder are coming from. It is a pretty simple device, easily added to many rudders at least. Basically a trim tab with a lever on it. The $8K mentioned above implies 100 hours labor at $80 per - that is a very long time to do this simple job on a 40' ish trawler.

Click to expand...

Articulating rudders are a little more complex than a trim tab. The articulating end pivots at a incrementing angle as the rudder turns away from center. There are no hydraulics or additional controls like with trim tabs. It's all mechanical with struts and pivots that has to continue working in harsh underwater conditions.

And that $8,000 was a few years ago. I'm sure it would be higher in 2019.

Response to articulated rudder

Cartouche said:

No I have not interesting thought but would need some engineering assistance

Click to expand...

Hi Guy,
My name is Fikret Ezberci.I am a mechanical engineer and involving with marine industry 45 years.Please contact me on my e mail adress as below;
ezberci@ezbercimarine.com
I have Tarquin Trader 41+2 .
I think I can help you either in design or manufacturing articulated rudder/rudders

DDW said:

I had the carbon fiber rudder for my sailboat completely reskinned and reprofiled for about 1/4 that price. Way more work than adding a tab. If you are talking about a steel or aluminum rudder then it is that much easier.

Click to expand...

I was speaking of a full articulating rudder not a fish tail.

syjos said:

Articulating rudders are a little more complex than a trim tab. The articulating end pivots at a incrementing angle as the rudder turns away from center. There are no hydraulics or additional controls like with trim tabs. It's all mechanical with struts and pivots that has to continue working in harsh underwater conditions.

And that $8,000 was a few years ago. I'm sure it would be higher in 2019.

Click to expand...

Yeah there's a lot of hard maths involved in getting those angles right so the rudder turns properly and in an expected way.

syjos said:

Articulating rudders are a little more complex than a trim tab.

Click to expand...

Not talking about a fishtail. It is a trim tab with a simple lever, usually controlled by a post in a slot. This isn't rocket science. Something as simple as a fishtail should cost almost nothing (in boat terms), whether composite or metal rudder.

DDW said:

Not talking about a fishtail. It is a trim tab with a simple lever, usually controlled by a post in a slot. This isn't rocket science. Something as simple as a fishtail should cost almost nothing (in boat terms), whether composite or metal rudder.

Click to expand...

Please inspect the principles of the rudders which you called “articulated”,Dutch guys called”Flap rudders attached

I purchased an Articulating Rudder from Bayview Engineering and had it shipped to Winter Harbor Marina in Brewerton, NY on the Erie Canal ant they installed it. They did an excellent job.
Capt Bill
EASTNOR
2001 Mainship 390

How much was the rudder Capt Favro

The cost was $3933 US plus shipping.

eastnorboating said:

The cost was $3933 US plus shipping.

Click to expand...

Whoa there big fella!

That's two posts in a row, rocketing your post count to 3 since 2013

How much was the install price ? I know you must be happy with it .

I think I learn the following from a forum in here.
Want to back straight,(single prop) shift your rudder approx 30 degrees to port, go slow, it will back straight... I say 30 degrees because, on my boat, someplace between 25 and 30 degrees.... Of course everything changes if you have significant tidal effect, wind effect and current effect. Practice practice practice.
At least now you have a starting point.

The cost of the rudder was $3933 US, but I don't remember the cost of installation, and my records are on the boat which is in storage in Alexandria Bay, NY. So I won't get on the boat again until spring. However the installation was done by Winter Harbor Marina in Brewerton, NY. If you give them a call, they may be able to give you an estimate.
Capt Bill
EASTNOR
2001 Mainship390