Re: [Paddlewise] Upgrading old style Klepper rudder in Australia

> My uses are loaded sea touring and sailing with Klepper jib and
occasionally
> a
> S4 mainsail (without gear).
>
> One thought is to upgrade the blade to a Balogh style "balanced blade"
design
> as indicated in Ralph Diaz's Folding Kayaker book.

I don't remember what he writes about Balogh balanced rudder (Balogh makes
rudders for canoes, I think, not for kayaks), but one of the options could
be a balanced rudder from Mark Longhaul.  He isn't cheap, though.

> If this approach what aluminium should I (thickness, hardness) use to
avoid
> bending or too stiff = cracking.

1/8" or 3/16", if possible - anodized, but not too important.  3/16" will
provide more thickness to make a foil cross-section, if you want to. Both of
them will bend very little under normal conditions of use. I don't believe
that aluminum brands of different serial numbers differ enough in hardness
to make this choice important for such application, - but may be they differ
more in  corrosion resistance. It will sustain years and years of use
anyway. Tom Yost probably knows about aluminum a bit more.

>
> Another is buy a Feathercraft K2 rudder (about $A300 - $400 here)

It costs CDN 250 (equlas $A 300, I think) here where they make it.  It is
foil-shaped, long and vertical, foil calcualted in Australia :-), but it is
barely enough for sail area more than 30 sq.ft (3.3 sq.meters).  In its
current version of rudder head it is far from being balanced.

or the new
> Klepper rudder system - like a Feathercraft (about $A200 - $300
> here).

I don't know what do they in Germany have now, but Longhaul rudder for MK2
could be a good option. Ask him about blade size and compare.

> How does a wider profile blade Balogh style perform vs a narrower and
deeper
> Feathercraft K 2 rudder blade profile.

Not too good.  More drag, less abilities to point into the wind. It has to
be narrow, vertical and foil-shaped.  K2 blade in fact isn't bad, only a
little bit small for sailing. Balogh has modified a K2 rudder for sailing
Feathercraft Kahuna with 32 sq.ft aft rig, btw.  In fact he made a longer
and more balanced blade out of their foil blade material. I'm using wide
1/8" plain blade (not foil) on my Kahuna with an aft 32 sq.ft sail rig (mast
is further aft than in Balogh version). Many people are using such 1/8"
sheet aluminum for sailing, btw, on their Folbot kayaks.  It's large, but
wide. You may try and find local source of
Feathercraft foil, since it is of australian origin :-)

>
> stainless for rudder blades, if not why not?

May be because of price and weight.
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