RUDDER LENGTH

[mark couty]

Can you guys tell me what is a good rudder length to start with for a scale hydro ? Should the bottom of the rudder be flat or rounded ? How far off from center off prop ?, I am mounting rudder on right side. Thanks.

 

[glenng]

Can you guys tell me what is a good rudder length to start with for a scale hydro ? Should the bottom of the rudder be flat or rounded ? How far off from center off prop ?, I am mounting rudder on right side. Thanks.

5.5 - 6" blade, flat on bottom.

 

[Hydro Junkie]

Post deleted to make Rick Bellinger happy

 

[mark couty]

HJ, I have never set up a left side rudder. On all of my gas boats I have always used a right side rudder with no problems. I use 4-40 threaded ends with heavy duty locking clevises with carbon fiber rods and a heavy duty airtronics servo and I have never had one fail. I also understand that a right side mounted rudder offers better turning. My gas P.I. sport hydro, my CPI catamaran and my thunderboat are all set up this way, all weigh in 18 to 24 pounds and I am running in the 60 - 70 mph range. I value your opinion , I have never even seen a left side mounted rudder, what do you think about the better turning theory ?

 

[Hydro Junkie]

Deleted as above

 

[Glenn 787]

Running 4" depth rudder mounted 2 5/8 offset to the left side on my 69 Pay N Pak. You can experiment with the depth.

Gas scale run the same direction as nitro, electric run the opposite.

One other thing on gas boats is they run the radio boxes in the back of the boat (behind the engine)so the pushrods are a lot shorter.

 

[jwo]

If you mount the rudder on the left you will have more distants from the skid fin. This will produce more stability in both the turns and the straights. It equals the drag from both. The boat will track straighter and have more levridge in the turns. You will notice that it takes less right rudder to get it around. The push rod is not an issue on either side as long as it is strong enough. I run mine 2 9/16 to the left of center and 5 inches long. Tapered blade with flat bottom.

 

[RaceCraftBearings]

Mark if your standing at the rear of the boat looking forward which side are your rudders on? Mine are on the left and my scale rudder is 5" long and is 2.5" left of center. There will be alot of different answers as to length and distance from center it all depends on the hull your running.

 

[FloridaScaleBoater]

Not saying one IS better than the other,, I have boats set up both ways.

BOTH turn equally well (until the servo mount breaks)

Again, not saying one is better than the other!!!, Ron, look at the transoms of the best running boats in your district, where are there rudders.... Again not saying one is better than the other, just trying to get a point accross to HJ.

As far as rudder push rods bending because of pushing the rudder, instead of pulling????? PLEASE!!!

HJ, when was the last time YOU put YOUR theories to ACTUAL on the water testing?

 

[RaceCraftBearings]

Dont care where they have the rudder in D3 LOL! Mine is on the left and oh btw my servo pulls to turn right as you can reverse servo direction and place the rudder horn on the other side.

 

[FloridaScaleBoater]

Dont care where they have the rudder in D3 LOL! Mine is on the left and oh btw my servo pulls to turn right as you can reverse servo direction and place the rudder horn on the other side.

None of the above was directed at you

 

[Joe Wiebelhaus]

Not saying one IS better than the other,, I have boats set up both ways.

BOTH turn equally well (until the servo mount breaks)

Again, not saying one is better than the other!!!, Ron, look at the transoms of the best running boats in your district, where are there rudders.... Again not saying one is better than the other, just trying to get a point accross to HJ.

As far as rudder push rods bending because of pushing the rudder, instead of pulling????? PLEASE!!!

HJ, when was the last time YOU put YOUR theories the ACTUAL on the water testing?

And a big thank you for Mr. Bellinger, well done.....

Rudder bottom, rounded

Rudder depth, 1" deeper than the sponsons.

 

[RaceCraftBearings]

Dont care where they have the rudder in D3 LOL! Mine is on the left and oh btw my servo pulls to turn right as you can reverse servo direction and place the rudder horn on the other side.

None of the above was directed at you

None taken

 

[SayMikey]

Dont care where they have the rudder in D3 LOL! Mine is on the left and oh btw my servo pulls to turn right as you can reverse servo direction and place the rudder horn on the other side.

None of the above was directed at you

None taken

Leave the rudder full length till you get the boat trimmed and working good. Then cut a 1/4 off at a time till you feel its enough. Why cut a blade before it gets wet?

 

[Hydro Junkie]

And one more deleted to keep Rick happy

 

[mark couty]

Please guys !!!! I was just looking for advice, not trying to get anyones feathers ruffled. As I am a NEWBIE to scale hydros and I am building my first boat, I value everyones opinion and I THANK YOU ALL for helping me along. HJ has been particularly helpful to me. I have built both gas and nitro boats before, however none were wood and none have been a scale hydro. So again my hats off to all that have replied to my posts and have been supplying info. I have to decide what I am comfortable with and what will work best for me. I am sure I will ask many more questions as I go along, some may seem small things to you veterans, but they are big for me. So I please ask for you continued support and lets not put things in that anyone will feel offended by or may have to apologize for. Part of why I am no longer into gas boats if because of this same thing. Lets enjoy a great hobby together !! Oh BTW if I am standing behind the boat the rudder would be on the right.

AGAIN THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR HELP IN GETTING ME GOING . Mark.

 

[glenng]

Please guys !!!! I was just looking for advice, not trying to get anyones feathers ruffled. As I am a NEWBIE to scale hydros and I am building my first boat, I value everyones opinion and I THANK YOU ALL for helping me along. HJ has been particularly helpful to me. I have built both gas and nitro boats before, however none were wood and none have been a scale hydro. So again my hats off to all that have replied to my posts and have been supplying info. I have to decide what I am comfortable with and what will work best for me. I am sure I will ask many more questions as I go along, some may seem small things to you veterans, but they are big for me. So I please ask for you continued support and lets not put things in that anyone will feel offended by or may have to apologize for. Part of why I am no longer into gas boats if because of this same thing. Lets enjoy a great hobby together !! Oh BTW if I am standing behind the boat the rudder would be on the right.

AGAIN THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR HELP IN GETTING ME GOING . Mark.

Leave it where it's at- like Rick I have boats with rudders on the right and left. I prefer the right but also have one boat w/ the rudder on the port side. If you don't already know Rick won the 2010 scale championship. Ask him what side the rudder is on in his Coors Light boat.

Glenn

 

[Mike McKnight]

Ok just my two cents but mine are on on the left, if facing the transom. Mine are a bit wide compared to most at 3" off center. I don't run anything with a small transom yet like Glenn's Pak so I can get away with it. I do like Joe and go about an inch below the bottom of the sponsons. I used to run larger blades but you really can get away with almost a sport 40 blade if your turn fin is working efficiently. Ideally you shouldn't need a ton of torque, just respectable power to get the turn fin to hook up. It should be doing most of the work anyway.