Maximum Rudder Angle

[PeteW]

Part of restoring my Pearson 365 was to replace a broken steering quadrant cross beam and the stops that determine maximum rudder angle stop to stop.  Currently I believe my rudder swings to an angle that is excessive. I'm pretty sure to much rudder swing is like putting on the brakes.

So I need to measure it and adjust the stops. I was told that for a Navy Destroyer they must adjust the maximum angle of the rudder to plus and minus 33 degrees to keep the ship from capsizing. Not sure if this rule applies to sailboats.

[SVJourney]

I know that people who have installed linear autopilots have reduced their rudder angles and not noticed any disadvantages to doing so.  Check out Sea Dragon's page on stops and autopilot install:
http://www.sailingseadragon.com/AutoPilot.htm

[PeteW]

Thanks, that's a nice write up.

I'm planning to go with a Monitor Servo pendulum for autopilot. I read some place that they limit your stop to stop motion to 2 revolutions of the wheel. Will need to see how many degrees that is. Currently my wheel turns more than 3 revolutions.

I've read some marine architect info on rudders.  Modified keel boats can't turn as tight as a fin keel so excessive rudder angle (possibly greater than 25 degrees) results in turbulence (stall). I know when tacking in light air the 365 can get in the irons with too much rudder. All part of learning how to sail this boat.

[SVJourney]

Funny how these same boats can be so different.  Journey's stop to stop is 2 and 1/4 turns on the original stops (I think they are original anyways).  I also cannot go to the stop on a tack unless the boat is really flying or it just stalls halfway through the tack.
LOL, that said, I can count the number of tacks we have done in two years on one hand!  I am definitely a cruiser.

[PeteW]

Here we are actually racing my Ketch in a non-spin class race  with the Point Loma Yacht Club memorial Jimmy Rogers Race in San Diego Bay. Very light air that day. Eventually we were DNF but since only one other boat finished (Ranger 36) we were given the second place trophy. We had to tack at least 10 times to get out of the bay that day.



The other boat is in the Spin class. It crossed the start line 5 minutes behind us. Definitely in the market for a  Kevlar 150 Genny.

Pete,  SV Tartanic