Dave Gerr - Boat Mechanical Systems Handbook-How to Design, Install, and Recognize Proper Systems in Boats

As a practical matter, the difference in steer-

ing response between C and D won’t be

great. Rudder D will be the least expensive

to build.

In the real world, my first choice for op-

timum performance would be rudder B. This

is because it will have slightly less induced

drag than the other rudders pictured, except

for the extreme A. At the same time, rudder B

is faired into the keel/skeg ahead of it. This

makes for good tracking, and the area of the

skeg immediately in front of rudder B counts

as rudder area. So the rudder blade itself is of

slightly less area to equal the total 20 sq. ft.

This gives rudder B lighter helm feel by a

small margin.

Both rudder B’s shape and its faired-in

skeg are more expensive than rudder C, how-

ever, and rudder C will give quite satisfactory

results.

PART FOUR: RUDDERS AND STEERING SYSTEMS

Figure 10-12.
Sailboat spade
rudders