DIY rudder

[salamis]

The big bonus of a rudder on an outboard in close quarters manouvering is the stream of water immediately over the rudder as soon as the prop turns, unlike a shalf driven boat that needs the boat to move before the rudder becomes fully effective.

[NikTheGeek]

Not sure about ruddersafe any more. Just had a look at the waterline on my outboard (marked in masking tape on the pic) and there is plenty of scope for something permanently attached above the anti-cav plate that will be out of the water at speed. I might make something up...

[Centaur]

As salamis says, shaft driven boats are a nightmare compared with an outboard / sterndrive boat. With my wakeboard boat, close quarters manoeuvering is much more cumbersome and directional control in astern is almost non-existant!!! However, after getting used to a shaft driven boat, a sterndrive boat seems a piece of cake so I wonder how much benefit the Ruddersafe would actually be.

Noddy also makes a very good point about coming alongside. Opposite lock just before a squirt of astern could have unexpected consequenses with the Ruddersafe, although the video doesn't say how effective it is in astern. Again, when coming alongside in my shaft driven boat, it really doesn't matter which direction the rudder is turned when engaging a bit of astern; forward momentum is arrested but the stern just drifts in on its original trajectory. Prop wash is more of a consideration as the right handed prop on my boat tends to pull the stern left when in astern. Although it's really the 'wrong' side, port side docking is therefore easier than docking to starboard.

Looking forward to getting a sterndrive again...

[salamis]

As salamis says, shaft driven boats are a nightmare compared with an outboard / sterndrive boat. With my wakeboard boat, close quarters manoeuvering is much more cumbersome and directional control in astern is almost non-existant!!! However, after getting used to a shaft driven boat, a sterndrive boat seems a piece of cake so I wonder how much benefit the Ruddersafe would actually be.

Noddy also makes a very good point about coming alongside. Opposite lock just before a squirt of astern could have unexpected consequenses with the Ruddersafe, although the video doesn't say how effective it is in astern. Again, when coming alongside in my shaft driven boat, it really doesn't matter which direction the rudder is turned when engaging a bit of astern; forward momentum is arrested but the stern just drifts in on its original trajectory. Prop wash is more of a consideration as the right handed prop on my boat tends to pull the stern left when in astern. Although it's really the 'wrong' side, port side docking is therefore easier than docking to starboard.

Looking forward to getting a sterndrive again...

I'm led to believe that coming along side with a twin shalf setup is much easier with one engine in reverse and the other forward then the paddle wheel effect of both props turning in the same direction pulls or is that pushes the boat to the side the engine in reverse.
Which leads me to remember that yesterday when leaving Yarmouth Harbour after a very nice lunch at the Bugle pub which I can recommend. We passed by a new Fairline 52 flybridge, "very nice boat" I says. "thank you very much" the chap replies "we won the lottery last year". I' m out to buy another ticket!!