I
found some 1 1/2" pintles and gudgeons online which I’d like to hang my rudder with. Any thoughts on how to adapt these to Pocketship? Assuming that rudder should hinge as high and low as possible, I have two problems. 1. The bottom gudgeon is on a 4" strap, but the skeg is only 1 1/2" wide 2. The upper pintle is 1 1/2" wide, but the extra doublers up top make the rudder 3" thick.
I think the bottom is easy - I see no problem with moving the lower gudgeon up to the bottom of the transom instead of down on the skeg. I think that would be the “normal” placement of a lower gudgeon, anyway. And maybe epoxy a block in at the base of the transom (inside) if you feel the thickness of the transom isn’t sufficient to hold the screws. The distance between the upper and lower hinge-sets will still be sufficient to handle the torque forces involved, I’m quite sure.
The suggestion I have for the upper pintal is to use a router and inlet a groove on each side of the rudder. The pintle “wings” would then slide into the slot. I’d then through-bolt through both holes on installation, not use a screw going in from each side. I’ve done exactly this inleting to accomplish installation of a rudder, but didn’t have to go nearly so deep (didn’t have to remove 1/2 of the total thickness, as you would be doing in this case, I actually only had to remove about 1/8 inch on each side). By your measurements each inlet for this installation would about 3/4 inch deep. That is a lot. You get to judge if everything will look to be strong enough. I think it probably will be. If worried about strenth you could bury the upper pintal wings under an epoxy fill after it was bolted in place, but that makes any subsequent removal/repair very difficult.
And of course you could buy new stainless steel hardware (or find other brass/bronze stuff) that is a better fit, but I understand what you are trying to accomplish with using the brass/bronze. I did my whole NE Dory outfitting in brass/bronze; even used “fake” hemp rope for all the lines, thus making the look very traditional.
Let us know what yoou choose to do and how things turn out!
Looks good. Hopefully it will be quieter than the stock setup which bangs around in unsettled seas.
Hi Steve, Say where did you source that rope you mentioned from?
Sorry I meant that for Jeff
This is very good looking, nice, soft, durable rope.
New England Rope: https://www.neropes.com/product/vintage-3-strand/
purchased through R&W Ropes: https://www.rwrope.com/shop/new-england-ropes-vintage-3-strand-rope-21780?srsltid=AfmBOoqfWY6F8y1WcYUTMx8uVyD3g4-AAbnr2cuEz5t_Wve9SDg5x-qw#attr=7191,7200,7201,16464,16466
Thanks Jeff! Just what I need.
-Rich
