Yacht Spirit of Jack Wind Vane
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Welcome to Spirit of Jack home made Wind Vane.
D.I.Y Rudder
Hear I have photos and information on how to made the rudder with a wind vane.
The Rudder will be dived into three sections, the main stock , rudder and trim tab , wind vane controller.
Rudders stock was made from 5 mm mild steel . 1st the main box section was completed, then the support was made .
This will depend on the shape of your yacht.
Plates where bolted on to the rear of the yacht then tacked on after to main stock.
Then to lever pin and top eye support, were made.
Note that the stock was tacked in a 90 degree position. Thereafter removed and taken away to mound the other parts.
Rudder and trim tab where firstly made from 3 mm mild steel then later remove and change to solid wood.
The wood was laminated with epoxy glue then treated with epoxy tare .All the fittings where then remade in 316 stainless steel.
Wind Vane controller.
Photos of rudder under construction and complete.
Old Rudder was mild steel ,now replaced to solid wood, advice to not use a oily wood as the epoxy may not glue well.
Base od the stock where the rudder will be attatched to.First dill the holes, then tack the ist bolt at the base. Then this will allow you
to line up the top 2 bolts .This way you can postion the ruder neat and paralle to the stock too.
First insert the botton trim tab surppot into the new wooden rudder,this will give you the correct hight.
This way the top of the rudder should be fllush with the tab.
Hers is bush placed into the trim tab ,
Lever control arm.
Rudder bush which is reinforced by stainless steel a collar and then a bolt is used to lock everything in position.
This way although glued with epoxy glue will not be able to come loose.
Rudder complete ready to to fitted back on the boat.
Rudder mounted on the boat
Conclusion:
The advantage of using this system on the yacht is you basically have 2 rudder systems .
On in board and wind vane rudder out board which keeps the boat well on track and is also a good safety factor of on of the rudders are damage or lost.