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Rudder Loss on Miller's Run

Rudder loss on Miller's run
Paul Reavley
10/24/22 #32582

Tim Wightman has posted this short video of rudder problems on a Miller's run in a double with his son.

https://youtu.be/QJtdeJWyNgg

Check the comments for a detailed account of what happened.

Eli Holmes 10/25/22 #32588

Comment section is good and part re not being able to unlock his cell phone due to wet hands.

Reivers Dustin 10/25/22 #32590

oh em gee. Great post Paul. I see your comments are right on and got great response. That is a cool-hand-Dad and Son.

In my advancing years I've become more and more fussy about my gear. Ironic that there aren't as many years to advance, but now I guess I'm doing more with less? Old saying from Ranger-Recon, “status of your gear is the status of your life”.

Paul Reavley 10/25/22 #32591

One of the things that I wonder about is the degree of damage in the shaft-blade connection that occurred in the initial bump to the rudder and how much may have occurred while using the rudder when it was rubbing against the boat. But this also inclines me to think that I should just replace rudders after even fairly minor collisions where the shaft gets a minor bend that can be easily straightened.

Waterman Larry 10/25/22 #32592

DK rudders take the impact, Paul. Some of the used boats I bought came with DK Bellingham weedless rudders. I have used those rudders until I hit a rock breaking their bottom edges. I then have modified them making them straighter and much longer. Up to 14“ long. None of Dons remanufactured after impact rudders has ever failed me and I hit bottom A LOT. I have had to self rescue in the Gorge due to the following steering failures:
The yoke hasn't been fastened down onto the rudder shaft securely, allowing the rudder to spin.
The rudder control cables have broken mid-boat, inside of the plastic tubing where you can't inspect it, due to corrosion.
The rudder control cables have pulled through the peddle.

I have heard or rudder posts spinning inside of the rudder, but I have never observed that failure yet.

Larry Goodson

Reivers Dustin 10/25/22 #32593

The DK's I've seen have a long, flattened section embedded in the rudder material. I think that was common for most rudders. The shaft would break before the rudder would be able to rotate while still attached. However, corrosion overrules. So if there's several impacts that allow salt water into the joint between rudder shaft and rudder material … bets are off. Rudder can let go at any time.

A few years ago David S borrowed a rudder from me because his showed cracks. He was thinking ahead about this unpredictable failure. Being a nice guy I tried to give him my kick-ass surf rudder (the one that causes you to self-eject). He didn't bite. He got my boring regular spare one.

Not sure it's still a thing, but we used to send our damaged rudders to DK for his mad-science experiments.

Larry Bussinger 10/26/22 #32595

I’ve bent many a rudder shaft back into alignment with the vise. I’ve never had one fail due to that.

I borrowed a Carbonology boat at the Gorge one year to see how I liked it. For some reason the rudder was useless. I had no control. At all. And because of the cap over the yoke, you couldn’t inspect it. I had to paddle within spitting distance of shore the entire way. Reivers baby sat me. I had to sit out a rescue he did because I was a liability. Haven’t been in a Carbonology boat since.

Larry Bussinger

allipp@…10/26/22 #32596

This is somewhat on topic, but not exactly. I'm just wondering if you lost a line on the Vega or Vega Flex, would the built in spring be strong enough to keep at least some tracking ability, or would you just yaw around as if the rudder was spinning loose?

Reivers Dustin 10/26/22 #32597

that is a really great question (about spring return Vega). When I've lost a rudder cable (without spring center) I was helpless. Could barely control the boat with legs dragging and strong paddle-steering. This was in big water.

So, I am hoping that some other poor slob will test this out. Not sure losing rudder control on an OC boat is the same kind of catastrophe.

Who can we get to try it out? Allan!!! Go for it big guy! Special project, yay! Uh. don't get hurt man. never mind.

allipp@…10/26/22 #32598

I think I’ll just try paddling without touching the pedals. Should be the same right? Except for the fact that I can use the pedals if needed 🤷‍♂️😂

Paul Reavley 10/26/22 #32599

I could see that that might be the preferred tactic (leave pedals alone) if you do lose one side, but I would like to know more about the dynamic when/if you try to use the still good side pedal to steer. How fast does the rudder re-center / how long does it keep turning after you stop pressing the pedal? Does this change significantly when you are carrying more speed or are in rougher conditions? Are you guys already relying on this to return your rudder to center or do you always actively recenter with your other foot?

Morris Arthur 10/26/22 #32600

The traditional emergency self-rescue method for a broken rudder cable is:
Keep a small bungie on-hand or attached to the deck, forward of the rudder yoke.
If/when a rudder cable breaks, attach the loose end of the bungie to the side of the yoke with the broken cable.
This should allow you to control the rudder using only the pedal with the non-broken cable.

Of course it helps immensely to test the setup (with functioning cables) before you actually need it :)

-Morris

beau whitehead 10/26/22 #32601

That does work, if you have a) a yoke and b) if you have an exposed yoke. Ozone boats have neither. The Carbonology in the video also does not have an exposed yoke.

Another option is carrying a small piece of rubber inner tube that you can jam between rudder base and hull, holding the rudder in center position.

(I haven’t had the bad fortune to try this one)

allipp@…10/26/22 #32602

Apparently there are places that require the yoke to be covered. That's why Carbonology and Fenn have covers over their yokes. When I owned those skis, I removed the covers and left them off. Not so much so that I could use the bungy gizmo, but more so to keep salt water from getting trapped in there and corroding everything.

Paul Reavley 10/26/22 #32603

Yes - with the Ozone boats the whole cap rotates with the rudder. I don't know is it's really necessary, but some time ago I added small rope loops to my OC rudder cap on each side of the cap that I could hook into with a bungie gizmo if ever needed. Haven't had to use them.