Rudder Alignment

How do you do a rudder alignment?

If rudders make a lot of whinning noise is this because of alignment or just going fast?

Sometimes this will help:

Rudder hum at speed means you;re going slow <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
since your blades are shedding vortices off their trailing edges. You need close to 1/16" to completely remove hum and minimize drag.

Lots of production cats do not come with blades properly faired...it's easier/cheaper to make a blade with a fatter trailing edge than a high quality thin one.

I recommend fairing down the last 1/3 of the blade with progeressively finer grain wet/dry sanding. Ideally, you don't want an obvious angle right at the last 1/2" from the edge...but if that helps and you're not too concerned with getting ultimate performance, then go ahead and use the scissor method.

Mike.

Think of it this way; noise = vibration, vibration = friction and friction = drag - and that's a drag!!!

I found my vibes in the bearing or washers between the rudder and the head. The damn sand wore enough of the material away to create a bit of play and thus a very annoying hummmmmmmmmm.