Hello,
I wanted to share some of the
letters we have received about our rudders and other parts and offer a big
THANK YOU to the customers who were kind enough to send them. We don’t solicit
testimonials, although we often ask customers to share any fit, finish and
performance feedback in order to improve our parts. Your letters make us very
glad to be in business to serve sailors, the friendliest, most honest group of
people we could ever hope to work for. There are a lot of messages below, in no
particular order. Hope they help you, I know we sure enjoyed receiving them.
Fairwinds,
-Joel
General Manager
IdaSailor Marine
Hi Joel,
I had the best season ever with my Mac! Thanks to you and your top quality
Rudder. Man, that rudder makes a big difference on how the boat handles now in
strong wind or with a little too much sail on...
Are you also planning on making dagger board for Macgregor 26D? The original is
not heavy enough to go down on its own, too loose in the cavity and it is of
poor quality construction.
If yes, let me know the specifications and price
Mario (-:=
Mac 26D
Hi Joel,
I have installed the rudder and tried it out in some fairly heavy racing
conditions and also single handing. I am very pleased with it. In
heavy winds (for my boat), I did not have to reef sails and she steered with
two fingers. Conditions that would have normally had me broaching or
constantly releasing the main were easy to handle. I am delighted and rather
amazed at what a difference it makes. With my little tiller tender, she self
steers very well. My neighbor, who also has a mac. was so impressed I
think you will be getting another order from him.
Sharon
Mac 26S
Dear Joel:
Installed the stiffner plate and the new rudder you sent me on my 89' Mac 26D
on Saturday. We took our time and had no serious problems in completing the
modification/upgrade. [The rudder is higher up in the channel than is the stock
rudder] Very pleased with final product. Took her out for a test sail on
Sunday. We keep our boat in a marina on the Thames River in New London,
Ct {at mouth of river}. It was a glorious day here on Sunday, Sunny, 80
degrees, no humidity and steady [mostly] 10 knot breeze. Took the boat
out into Long Island Sound, close hauled most of the way. The new rudder
worked wonderfully. Feather touch all that was needed to keep the boat on
line, even in gusts that would steepen our angle of heel. The improvement
from the old clunker rudder was drastic; unbelievable. Now I cannot wait
to get out on the water again next weekend.
Sent out today the $23.00 shipping difference. Was going to send out on
Friday but decided to send it with a review after Sunday's sail. The
check is accompanied by a note from me saying much the same as is said herein.
Thanks so much!
JCMullholland
Joel,
Great new rudder. The first race this year I came in 2nd, havent seen better than a 4th in two years. My old rudder offered no control in low wind, this was great and in 22 knots it was like power steering.
Greg Simon
M26 (Plenary Indulgence)
Albuq. New Mex.
Joel:
The Columbia 28 rudder was delivered, and I am in awe of the quality of
craftsmanship! It stayed in the middle of our living room floor for 4 days so
my sailing friends could view it. It was 2 weeks from the placing of my order
to delivery of the finished product, which was built from scratch using only a
Columbia Yachts change order!
You can bet I will be spreading the IdaSailor gospel!
Thanks!
Jeff Cooke
Grand Island, NY
Hi Joel,
I was out sailing under optimum conditions this past weekend. Sunday provided gusty 15 kt winds and I had my Mac heeled over to 20% on a regular basis - my new HDPE rudder performed flawlessly! I noticed that the faster I sailed, the less weather helm I felt - the new blade is exponentially better than the stock blade, by far. I even had a chance to try out the kick-up mod I installed on the rudder when I hit a rock in shallow water near the docks. The rudder blade kicked up without any damage whatsoever - not even a scratch! My stock rudder would have at least had some scratches - I couldn't tell where the HDPE blade had hit at all. I did notice that my blade picked up some lake scum after 3 days in the water - cleaned it with a dab of dish detergent and water. Its not pure white any more, but cleaned up just fine. Need to know what you recommend for bringing back the pure white color - is bleach okay? Thank you very much again!
Sincerely,
Lee
M21 - "Cool Change"
Boulder Yacht Club, Carlyle Lake, IL
Guys:
Just wanted to let you know that I received the rudder and it's a
nice piece of work. It's already mounted and bottom 33" has a nice coat of
racing black anti-fouling upon it. I will surely recommend you guys to my
cronies.
Jerry Skoll
Joel and crew,
i got my tiller and hatch tracks yesterday. i am so impressed with the quality and the customer service you all have. great doing business with you and look forward to more purchases.
thanks again
daryl heinlein
Joel:
My rudder arrived today in fine shape - no UPS damage!
I am very pleased with the both the craftsmanship and the value. It is an
excellent design and extremely well executed. It will be a few weeks
until
we get enough water to use it, but I am sure it will more than meet my
performance expectations. I will document the assembly and at some point
put it on my website, and with your permission, will include a link to your
page.
If those of you on the list need/want a new rudder, you can't go wrong with
one from Joel, and the price is more than fair. {No, he didn't give me a
price break for saying this.... I just believe in rewarding someone who
makes a great product at a fair price.}
Steve
'89 M26D
Hi Joel,
I received my foiled CP16 rudder yesterday. It appears very professionally
made of excellent materials. The HDPE material is a great choice on the
aluminum blade. I look forward to experiencing the "new" feel of my
boat
next year.
Thank you for the prompt service and reply to my questions.
Gil Weiss
Com-Pac 16
Hi
Joel,
I used the high perfomance tall version on my 26D all this summer.
IDASAILOR'S RUDDER IS EASILY THE BEST PERFORMANCE AND SAFETY UPGRADE I'VE
MADE ON OUR 26D. This boat is used with a youth sailing
group. Now kids take their turn at the helm in 15 knot winds and 8 foot
seas. Last year, with the original rudder, I had to stay ahead of the
seas and was still rounded up three times coming back from Catalina.
Thanks for your support. I'm now buying a standard blade for a friend.
this is in reply to kurt
being interested in comparing a cp23 with and a cp23 without the foiled rudder.
we were the lucky ones with the foiled rudder. we were sailing with our
friends ( who i bet will be getting the rudder soon ) and leaving
the marina, we easily left them behind. we do have a new main- his
is 1990, our genoas are the same size. his is a '90 ours '99,
he has a 1990 boat and ours is 1987. we even each have the same
bimini. it really was amazing. i did not check our actual speed but
the wind was light maybe 6 kts. we have told so many people how
great this rudder is, i'm glad we read about it on this web-site.
it is the best money we spent on this boat. and joel at
idasailor.com was super. my 2 cents.
cindy, "fair wind" cp23
Joel,
Just a quick note to say thanks
for bringing the new rudder for my Horizon Cat. The sail back from
Ocracoke was most enjoyable with it on the boat. It was like someone
installed power steering. The price paid for the rudder was far too small
for all the pleasure and effortless steering it provides me. It makes the
boat fun to sail in all weather.
Thanks
Willis Pontier
Joel,
I
wanted you to know that your MacGregor 26 rudder worked great, and that I
REALLY appreciate your personal, kind and patient help in talking me
through installing it. Heather and I are just a year into sailing and the last
two weeks vagabonding around Puget Sound were one of those small but very
significant dreams come true. It would not have happened without a group of
folks like yourself who know a lot more than us and just clearly wanted to
help.
Thanks
again,
John Glassburner
Joel,
You have made us true believers. My wife and I had a very nice sail last
weekend in some flukey winds on Lake Washington. Our Mac 19 was able to point
in directions I had only dreamed about before the installation of your rudders.
With the main, the original fractional jib and no ballast, we were able to
impress ourselves with speed and directional control that literally transformed
our opinion of the Mac 19. It actually became a fun boat to sail in relatively
light air and a real blast when the puffs hit.
I also very much appreciated your willingness to work through the installation
process with me. It made for very satisfied customers.
I will keep you informed of the \"tiller\" installation as it is on
the back burner until \"hell freezes over\" because we have
been sailing soooooo much. The rudders on my boat are not parallel, so the
tiller is always displaced more than is necessary. I used to think it was
\"weather helm\" but now I know it was just poor quality from the
factory since 1992.(It really bugs me because its like driving a car that needs
a front end alignment). Also, all the holes for all the rudder control
through bolts are worn and out of round contributing to tiller slop. I am
working on an adjustable rudder control rod to straighten the rudders and some
spacers to bring the holes back to \"true\" and possibly beef up the
components so they don\'t sag so much. Only than will I put that beautiful
tiller you built on my boat.
Again thank you very much for your excellent products and superior customer
support.
Best regards Walter
Joel,
Received the kick-up rudder for our Venture of Newport '23 yesterday. Looks great. Can you recommend a brand of varnish to finish the rudder top and tiller?
Thanks,
-- Rog
Joel,
I wanted to thank you for the excellent job that you did making me a new
rudder for my Atlantic City 25’catboat. Since the rudder weighs 250
pounds, I was apprehensive about the ease of re-installation; especially the
alignment of the pintels. However, you did such a good fabrication job
that it went on with no problems. I will recommend you to other people
and use you again in the future. Thanks again for a job well done.
Gregory L. Downs, CSP,CIC,ARM
Regional Vice President
Joel,
Jult a note to let you know that we called off Buzzards Bay but went to Long
Isand Sound. spent 2 days on the water. Have to say have never sailed my Mac 26
so fast for so long with so little tiller adjustment in my life. Rudder post
and rudder did well. My old post was in very bad shape as the difference is
unbelievable. Thanks again, you\'ve made sailing more enjoyable for me
tony
Joel,
Greetings, had a great time on Lake
Michigan. The cushions are GREAT.
Thanks for your help.
Joel,
I received my rudder on Friday, as scheduled, and got out on the lake
yesterday. Just posted a review to the website, so will not repeat
here. Bottom line -- I made a great choice. Please check out the review.
For some reason, it is showing 0 of 5 stars, which is not correct. I say
5 of 5 stars, so please make the changes accordingly. Thanks again, and will be
talking to you for future orders.
Pete Skalski
Granville, OH
Joel,
I
was very impressed with the tiller you sent. It looks fantastic, and the fit is
perfect. I did varnish it, and it now looks like it belongs on a million-dollar
boat.
Thanks
again.
Olaf
Hi
Joel,
Thanks soooo much! Received everything on friday, assembled saturday
morning and was on the water saturday afternoon. What a difference!
It's like a different boat. Much lighter helm and yet oh so
responsive! Unbelievable…I'll definitely be recommending you.
thanks again,
Mitch
Installed
and sailed with my new IdaSailor foiled rudder on my
Suncat
this weekend...as everyone has experienced before me, it was a pleasure sailing
with this new addition. Much easier, more responsive in all points of sail, in
light to moderate winds. Well worth my wife's money.
just wanted to share,
Roger
CP "Tiger Lilly"
Roger,
I belive your suncat is the first boat of that design to experience
the foil rudder,so far it has been universal positive in the boats
that have used it.
David CP19 VAYU
Joel,
I had the chance to sail yesterday for 3 hrs, the rudder performed excellent! I
put a post in com-pac group letting others know.
I did have a chance to see how much the water clears the rudder when it was
calm and it was 1inch at the attachment and about 3 inches in the rear which is
still ok.
Thanks again,
David
Joel,
I\'ve given the C-22 kick-up rudder I bought from you a pretty good shakedown
this summer. I can say that it is a tremendous improvement over the
original kick-up rudder. If this is the same as your \"Cruising
Blade\", I\'ll enter a testimonial on it.
Richard Norman
Hi Joel,
The M26D rudder and castle stiffener look great. We're getting ready to
put
the rudder on and wanted to see if you have any advice or
recommendations. Thanks again for a great product.
Ed
Great job
Joel,
The bailer inserts look great and went in in about 30 seconds. About 25 seconds of that was getting the old flimsy plastic ones out.
Thanks Larry
Mutineer 15
Joel,
I just wanted to tell you what a brilliant and refined rudder you sent me for my P19. All the details work and are a vast improvement over the factory design. The rudder raises and lowers effortlessly The tiller is high enough not to interfere with the mainsheet cleat. The whole thing breaks down easily. The only thing I don't like in a minor way is the wire that holds the rudder in the up position. But this is a minor consideration which is far outweighed by the overall superior product.
THANKS
Messmore Kendall
Bruce,
Didn't
I tell you about the superb slow speed handling, the ability to
turn in your boat's length while sailing at a crawl, or smoothly come
about at speed, tame the tiller with one finger? Glad you had the
experience, Bruce. My IdaSailor rudder blade is right up there with
cockpit cushions and teak toerail in "most valued and appreciated"
upgrades.
Russ Browne
Sailing P.J.Puddlejumper
2000 ComPac SunCat #16
Joel,
Finally had my first sail with your foiled blade for the CP-16. The winds
were kinda light on Lake Michigan yesterday morning but I still had a
noticeable performace improvement with the new blade.
I crane hoist my boat into the harbor for every sail; the location of the
hoist requires a quick left turn to exit the area requiring use of a boat hook
to spin the boat around. Yesterday, with the new rudder and boat hook in
hand, I started the motor and swung the tiller hard over. To my suprise
and with a big grin I didn\'t need the boat hook to turn. The old blade would
stall when hard over but the new one made the boat much more maneuverable.
Under sail it seemed I could point about 5 degrees higher when close-hauled and
could actually take my hands off the tiller with sails trimmed properly.
Never did that with the old blade! It used to lightly \"pulse\"
when the sails were developing signifcant power. I\'m anxious to try the
blade in some stronger wind to see if the weather helm has been reduced; with
this exerpience so far I\'m sure it will help! A definite worthwhile
investment; the blade has exceeded my expectations and will likely purchase
another blade for a CP-19 as I plan to upgrade to a 19 in the offseason.
Thanks again for a great product!
Jim DeYoung
CP16 \"Nautical Wheeler\"
Chicago/Evanston, IL
Joel,
ment to contact you sooner have been able to get out in some windy conditions to try out traveler. Angle with legs is about perfect for my boat. Had some stick on velco that used to hold small solar panel, used small piece under leg to cushion againt top of transom. Works great in all wind conditions, thanks.
Richard (Rick) Eliasen
Well, had a chance to try one of the new
foiled
rudders today.
Awwwwwwww-Sommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmme!!!!!!!!!
Didn't know how bad it was till it was gone...the helm
pressure, that is…
Okay, so I was skeptical that it could make a big
difference...
Not a doubting Thomas any more.
Bruce
Hey Joel,
below is some info on my rudder test:
It was a great day to test the rudder drag and resistance but a tough
day to see if it helps pointing because the wind was so gusty and gets
influenced by the land masses at that lake.
A funny thing though, I had Janelle (my daughter) sail first while I
set sails and stuff. She normally does pretty well but was wobbling all
over at the start yesterday. Well, when I took my turn at the helm I
understood why. She should have just told her Dad to shut up because
the rudder feel is much more positive. Anyhow, there were some obvious things I
noticed:
(1) Much less resistance and pressure on the rudder to begin with
(2) Much more responsive, just turning this rudder a little brings
quicker results so it was easy to over rudder at first
(3) Weather helm does not disappear but it is much less and it's much
easier to correct
The biggest shocker to me was the difference in rudder pressure, how
easy it was to turn and hold on course. Mike Q. was not kidding when he
says you can just use your finger pressure most of the time.
So whether it points me better or not, I can't say but it sure is a lot
easier on your hands and arms when you are at the helm. I think "The
Boss" (my autohelm) will love it!
Cliff Bills, Com-Pac
Joel,
Your service is FANTASTIC! I'm doing some extensive cruising off the Coast of Maine in July so I think I'll send the rudder back after this weekend, when I have a chance to get it off the boat. Don't worry about postage reimbursement, I'm OK with shipping it to you. Your willingness to fix it, even after my attempt to repair is enough.
Thanks
Steve
Joel,
The bow pulpit arrived on Friday, just like it was supposed to. It was in
great shape and I installed the unit on Saturday. It really looks great,
thanks
for a wonderful job. The only thing I might suggest if anyone orders one
in
the future is that the base plates be slightly angled out toward the
outside.
After bolting the unit down, I used a tube of 5200 to seal the plates and
even things out.
Dan Lazer
Edgewater, Maryland
Joel,
I finally
had a chance to evaluate the rudder this past weekend.
Conclusion: The M26S performance rudder is a significant
improvement. It was well balanced under
a wide range of wind conditions.
I would
highly recommend your product. Thanks
for all your help.
Steven
Shenkel
Director
of Manufacturing
Joel,
Received the second WWP 15 rudder blade yesterday. It is absolutely
beautiful. forecast winds tomorrow is breezy! I've got the first
one installed and will be trying it out. I'll keep you posted how I feel
they compare.
Ron
Hi Joel,
I took my boat out this Sunday past and wanted to let
you know how well my new rudder blade works - I love it!!! The new blade
feels a lot better than the old blade - but I was only able to sail in about
5kt breezes. I got to heel over to maybe 10 degrees and had noticeably
much less weather helm. I haven't gotten a chance to do any heavy air
sailing, but am confident that the rudder will make the sailing much
better. I noticed that the boat is much more responsive with the
longer/wider blade. I am very happy to have the blade, would recommend
the upgrade to anyone and am hanging on to my stock blade - I will swap out the
old blade when I sell my MacGregor 25.
Thanks!
Sincerely, Shawn
Hello
Joel,
I did get a chance to try out the new rudder this weekend. It worked
great!!!!! My boat actually went straight, and the tiller was ten times
easier to steer in the strong wind. I'm glad the original broke and I
have
one of yours. Thanks for all your help, I'll be sure to let everyone here
in
Fort Wayne know about your web site and rudders.
Jon Painter
Joel,
Cushions just arrived. I have tried them on the boat and they fit like a glove. I am very happy with them.
Thanks,
Bob
Glenz
The cool kick-up Catalina 22 rudder that you made for me worked flawlessly, and looks fantastic! Mead Madness was a great time, and the rudder was solid as a rock. I never needed to rig uphaul and downhaul lines at all. I just tightened the lever, and it stayed right where I put it. Thanks again for the rush job--I'm heartily recommending your company any chance I get.
Sean McGrew
S/V Redhead
Billings, MT
Joel,
We received the rudder in short order and it fit right up. Bang On! Do y’all have any suggestions for setting up the control lines? I could mount a cam cleat easily enough but I don’t feel the system has enough purchase to properly rotate the rudder up (in the water it will probably be easier to raise).
The rudder is truly a piece of art and I couldn’t be happier.
Sincerely,
Scott Stupak
Designer’s Choice
North Carolina
Joel,
Just
got the rudder. It’s a work of
art. Can’t wait to try it. Thanks.
Do
you also make a daggerboard for a 1989 26D?
-George Bozzuti
I finally got the boat in the water and
a chance to sail her yesterday with
the new HDPE rudder from Joel at IdaSailor. The HDPE rudder replaced a
factory rudder that had been modified with a 2.5" extension to the leading
edge and the appropriate fairing. It was also beefed up in the head area
with plates of epoxy/fibergalss printed circuit board material to fit
tighter into the rudder castle. You can see a photo of the old rudder at
http://www.cal.net/~vazovsky/Photos/RudderProfile.jpg
While the modified
rudder worked better than the purely stock rudder, the foil section was too
thick for its width, and as we all know, stock length rudders are too short
when the boat heels in big gusts. The IdaSailor rudder is a true NACA
profile and, depending upon which length your order and how you mount it,
can be several inches deeper than the stock rudder. I ordered the
56"
overall blade with the 3" extended leading edge and mounted it 5.5 inches
higher in the rudder castle than the original.
The test conditions were mostly flat water with winds between 5 and 10 mph,
often gusting up to 15 mph due to an approaching storm front. I can't
supply accurate results in increases in speed, since over the winter I
replaced the tri-data instrument head (a combo speed, depth and distance
unit) and it has not yet been re-calibrated with a GPS. The hull was
untouched from last fall as the VC-17 was recoated the year before and
holds up for at least two years in the cold fresh water where we sail. I
have the mast set with about 2 degrees of aft rake for the lighter days of
summer when speed is important and in the past have paid the price in boat
controllability in the spring when the winds tend to be gusty. The both
the upper and lower shrouds are set at about 250 lbs of tension - just
enough so the leeward shrouds don't show any significant signs of slack
just before I need to reef the main.
What I can say about the new rudder is WOW! What a big difference
in how
well the boat handles and in a subjective feeling of increased speed.
What
I first noticed was a lack of a stern wake directly aft of the rudder.
The
factory rudder always left some turbulence and that made a little water
noise. It was never intrusive, but it was always there even when steering
with a tiller extension and sitting up against the cabin wall. The
IdaSailor rudder was absolutely quiet with no wake at about 3 kts as I left
the protected yacht basin. The lack of sound was so startling that I
looked back to see what was going on. The new rudder has a foil profile
that is far superior to that of the stock rudder and eliminating the
turbulence is just one of the ways that manifests itself.
As I got out into the open lake and the
wind picked up, I noticed the boat
seemed to accelerate much quicker in the gusts than with the old rudder;
another result of the better foil. Tacking was just about the same as
before, and even a few test "crash tacks" felt about the same.
This is
where I thought the new rudder might not compare favorably to the old
rudder, since a thinner foil with a fine leading edge should stall much
sooner. The only way I could even get the rudder to stall, and believe me
I tried several stupid maneuvers to make it stall, was to turn the helm
hard over at about 5 kts under motor. The old rudder would just kick the
stern around while the new rudder takes a little time to react and turn the
boat. If I put the tiller suddenly hard over in reverse it would
completely stall and the boat would just slow down and continue in the
original direction. Turning slowly and giving the water flow time to
adjust keeps the boat steerable in reverse.
Under sail in about 8 - 10 kts of wind with a 155% roller furler full out
and unreefed full batten main, I had no trouble heeling the boat over as
far as I wanted to push it and could still keep it on course. I got it
over far enough once that the rail was under water and I was standing on
the side of the cockpit footwell wall looking into the cabin as the windows
got a washing. There was considerable tiller pressure and I had to
deflect
it about 15 to 20 degrees to keep the boat from rounding up, but it still
remained controllable. At moderate angles of heel, I could bear off
and
accelerate rather than being forced to round up. With a mast that was set
at zero rake, I think even this behavior would be even more
controllable. Since I was single handing, I did not get up on the rail
(you can do this with the '89 D by sitting on the top of the cockpit
coaming) but I think with either another person in the boat or by acting as
rail meat myself I could have pulled the boat back down flat while
remaining on course.
My genoa is not a sail that points well because its shape and of the
limitations on the fairlead placement, but I was easily able to tack
through about 100 degrees, which is about what that sail has done in the
past. Next time out I will try sailing with the working jib and see if
the
tacking angles are any different with the new rudder. There should be
some
marginal improvement since a better foil should provide more lift, but
whether this will be noticeable remains to be seen.
The boat also seem faster on all points of sail. I am not sure this is
really the case since the readings from my speed unit may be off, but it
"feels" faster. It also seemed much easier to find the
"groove" where the
sails are tuned to the wind and everything is working just right. If you
have sailed for very long you know what that feels and sounds like and how
hard it is to keep the boat there once you do find it. I found that with
less concentration I could find and keep the boat in the groove and keep it
there longer, even in the shifty conditions. This alone would be a
considerable advantage if you were racing since the boat sails faster in
the same wind when sailing in the sweet spot.
Just for kicks after my testing I started chasing down various other boats
on the lake. The Catalina 22's as always were no problem, even one all
out
racer rig that should have taken some effort did not - remember I have a
high cut furling jib and have given up a lot of all out speed for the
convience of roller furling. A well sailed Catalina 250 and San Juan 23
also were quickly run down. The 25 owner kept looking over his shoulder
and adjusting his sails and couldn't figure out why I kept gaining on
him. I tried to play with a Hunter 26 on a beam reach and seemed to be
making ground on him until he started tacking in different directions
seemingly without reason - maybe he was giving a sailing lesson??? This
kind of impromptu racing is really not a true test since you don't know the
skills of the other sailors relative to your own, but it is fun. I would
like to do a little match racing with a stock Mac 26D, even swapping boats
for a few runs, just to see what the real difference is.
Anyway, I am extremely please with my new IdaSailor rudder. It delivers
great performance at a very reasonable price.... and it looks good hanging
on the stern too. Great job Joel!!
Steve Vaczovsky
'89 M26D "Dreamtime"
Sacramento, CA
We had to replace our rudder this year and dealt with Idasailor
at
sailboats@idasailor.com. They are
wonderful and I'm sure they would give you
all the measurements. The replacement rudder is beautiful and works
wonderfully!
Good Luck.
Kino Bay, Balboa 26
I too installed a foiled rudder
by IdaSailor this past weekend, on my CP19.
It truly is a direct replacement for the flat blade, with full range of
position from full down, to full up (out of water). While it's about the
same weight as the all aluminum blade out-of-water, it's much
"lighter"
pulling it out of the water, due to the buoyancy of the plastic. On my
first pull up, it leaped out of the water.
As for performance of the IdaSailor
foiled rudder, I had the most wonderful day
sailing the length of Sarasota Bay. I do believe the rudder makes a
difference. I can't wait for this weekend to arrive, to play some more.
Ed Niespodziany
s/v Jennifer Nicole
Cortez, Florida
Joel,
The new foiled rudder looks better than expected. I can not wait to get it on and used. If it performs like it looks, then you can count on my endorsement on the Compac list.
Thanks and good doing business with you.
Kevin
I finally had the chance to get out and sea trial my new
foiled rudder from
IdaSailor.
We had a spectacular sailing day on Lake Norman today. 75 degrees, not a cloud
in the sky and 10-15mph winds out of the northwest. The wind was a little
spotty in the late morning/early afternoon and the late afternoon; but the
sailing was very enjoyable overall.
I spent the majority of the day getting
the boat tuned up for some of the upcoming races. The boat has been
particularly troublesome upwind, with the flat plate rudder creating a lot of
drag while not very effectively dealing with weather helm. It's been a little
frustrating trying to get the boat to point well and accelerate in puffs.
The IdaSailor foiled rudder has changed everything about how my CP19 goes to
weather. In 15-17 mph winds I can easily point to 45 degrees, maintain solid
speed, accelerate in puffs and steer the boat with one finger. I can't say
enough good things about the positive performance impact this single purchase
has made for my boat.
I'm actually pretty excited about doing some racing with the 19, especially in
light of these performance improvements. We all know that any time two boats
are going in the same direction at the same time--it's a race. Today was no
exception. I was quite happy and surprised at how well we were doing against
larger boats. It took the better part of a couple of miles for a Cal 28 to
catch us upwind. And when they finally caught us, they made sure to let us
know they caught us--so they were obviously trying!
Anyway... Don't hestitate... Send Joel your order.
Michael
CP19/3 #492 "Shadowfax"
CPYOA Webmaster
As
many of you remember, there have been innumerable posts on the
theoretical merits of adding an airfoil shape to the flat blade rudder
on our beloved ComPacs. Well, I did it. Bought a foiled rudder from
Joel Santarone at IdaSailor Marine in Boise. The quality of workmanship
and material was outstanding. They added a high-density polyethylene
shaped piece to a 3/8" aluminum blank. The result is a shaped rudder
which installs without tools, simply replacing the original. A portion
of the blade now extends forward of the hinge line, giving the blade
some "balance" and improving its responsiveness, as I understand it.
Launched and sailed Puddlejumper yesterday and tested the new rudder.
What a difference ! My SunCat was all smiles. She responded instantly
to minor rudder inputs, but was not jumpy. The most noticeable
improvements were in low speed handling in the marina and tacking on
the lake. At low speed, steering was smooth and easy, allowing course
changes of up to 45 degrees without the feeling that I had deployed
drag brakes. A gentle input to the tiler had the effect of a finely
tuned power steering unit. On the lake, tacks were smooth and she
turned with a single finger on the tiller. No perceptible slowing and
no overshooting. What a delight!
I have no connection with IdaSailor other than one of very satisfied
client. Their website is www.idasailor.com.
Russ Browne
Sailing P.J.Puddlejumper
2000 ComPac SunCat #16
Branched Oak Yacht Club
On the prairies of Nebraska
Hi
Joel,
rudder
arrived on Friday, picked it up today because of bad weather.
Very nice job. I am very pleased Will let you know about fit
up and performance later,
Regards Warren Ellis
Hi Joel,
I installed the new rudder on Friday and spent Saturday and Sunday sailing.
I really like the new rudder, It seems the boat controls much better, up to
20 degree heel ( that is the maximum wind we had) the rudder response seemed
to change very little, no matter how much the boat was heeled over. This
made it much easier for the autopilot to work. This is great, I love it.
Thank you again for the rapid job and the great rudder.
Rolf
Newport 30
Berkeley, CA
Hi Joel,
The hatch fits great! Attached is a pic. Went by West Marine and picked up a
new hinge. As soon as the wx warms up just a little, I'll fit the new hinge
to the hatch.
Thanks again for a high quality product from you and your company!
Happy sailing,
Nancy E. Wigal
P19, #1135, "Baydream"
Arlington, VA
Cliff,
I bought one of Idasailor's rudders in the fall and I'm very pleased with
it. You can see photo's of it in use at my website below. I think
that it performs very well and Joel gives great service.
Perry
Perry Phillips
C-Type WWP #44 "Bobber"
Port Arthur, Texas
Dear folks
at Idasailor:
Just a note
to say that all of the parts I have ordered are great. The rudder and stuffer
box for our Balboa 26 fit perfectly. The top rails were the best teak I have
seen and, of course, fit exactly. The poly hatch slides and the tiller are
amazing also. I don't know how you did it, I'm just glad you were there to
supply these things. We could not have done without you. Thanks for your great
service and great quality products.
Steve and Shelly
Balboa 26
For those who have been asking if I had received my Mac 26D
tall head HDPE rudder yet, well it arrived here at 10 to 6:pm on the
east. Kind a late to go to the shop
and fit it to the yoke, so I will do that tomorrow. From my point of
view,
it's a great looking rudder!!! Very slippery!! I am sure it will
perform
better than the ones that I have built by lamination of wood. The rudder
weighs 24 pounds, I am sure that one would have no trouble keeping the
rudder down. Not that buoyancy has never been an issue with me.
There is
no way that I can actually test the rudder, the water is thick around
here. Now I have another excuse and reason to go to FL in March.
Not that
I needed one. (Burt Ward are you listening, I will be there in
March.) Well, FL is another subject, I just wanted to say that I am
definitely impressed with the rudder, and can't wait to use it. Joel
thank
you very much, great job, I recommend you highly to all my Mac buddies,
whether you own an S or a D model.
Mike C
Joel,
It is my pleasure to be the bad boy critic on your product. The tiller
quality was excellent, I am a cabinetmaker and if your production can keep up
with your prototype then you have a winner. The long Pin pintle would
cause some boats to refit gudgeons
but for an upgrade from an original casting this is fine.
I would like to see 7.5mm or 5/16" cheek plate with 6000 series
hardened aluminum. I would offer a Bushing on a 5/16" or
3/8" bolt
for a center bolt. I like the idea of a stiff and lightweight
blade. And If the superior blade and assembly would be approved by
the class, then I would buy one of those and donate my Mahogany one
to Richard West.
Uncle Jim Irwin,
Buccaneer 18
I just got the new rudder that I ordered from Joel at IdaSailor
marine, I was hoping for an upgrade but ohhhboy does it look great I cannot
wait to try it out. I went with the laminated tiller and it was everything that
Joel said it was. I laid it over my old rudder and it looks like it will fit
perfectly. The rudder blade is a solid plastic looking material that I think
has a white color all through it, we will have to ask Joel about that, but if
it is, there will never be a need to paint it. I took 3 pictures and posted
them in the photo section of the mutineer site under "New IdaSailor rudder"
folder. My old rudder cracked twice and the aluminum head was cracked and
welded before I got it and again after I owned it. The new one looks like it
will stand anything that I can do to it. I highly recommend this rudder
assembly to anyone that is in need. Happy Sailing,
Vince "Head over Keel"
Mutineer 15, Sail # 3067
Hi Joel:
I received the Mac26 rudder. I can't wait to try it. The quality is excellent. Thanks for the prompt delivery. I will let you know how it goes in the Spring.
Thanks,
Mike Bissell M26D
David,
If the company that you are referring to is IDA SAILOR, then, yes, I can
highly recommend them. Joel did a great job for me. I had a custom
oversized rudder built for my C-Type Potter, and I've been very pleased with
the results. The rudders are built of high density polyethylene and are
very strong. I had them build a balanced rudder so that I could improve
tacking with my new junk rig. They worked well with me, and turned the
product around very fast.
Perry
Dear
Potters,
I would also like to chime in about IdaSailor. I, too, bought one of
their
rudders and it is extremely strong and durable.
But perhaps most importantly, they are an absolute joy to work with and will
be most helpful and accommodating.
Jeff Anzevino
Tide Rider
Highland Landing, NY
Hey Joel-
The windows just arrived - they look great,
unfortunately the boat is now covered in 6" of snow - will go out this
coming weekend and shovel it off, but will wait until spring for the actual
installation- thanks for the T shirt !!!!
Again thanks so much, will let you know how
they fit
Park Adams
joel:
Just returned from Reno. The dagger board looks great. won't have a chance to
try it for fit for awhile. I am sending you a check today. $240.00. Will
recommend you to everyone. Thanks again. Mike
Joel,
Thanks again! The part looks fantastic! I will definitely let
everyone
know about your talents.
One question while I am writing. What is the best way to mounts cleats
and
padeyes to the mast and boom? Do people normally use a threading tap?
Thanks again,
Brandon Williams
Aquarius 23
Dear
Joel: I think I promised you that I would write a further report on
the P-15 replacement rudder blade you made for me.. ( it is the longer one}
I used the new blade at Monterey Bay October 6th and 7th, and at Tomales
Bay Sept. 14th and 15th. I am happy to report that the new blade works
extremely well, with the P-15 showing excellent speed and pointing ability
while using it. On both weekends, I was sailing in the company of a
number
of old friends in the Potter 15 fleet, many of them highly experienced and
capable sailors, and I am happy to report that I was able to stay up with
the best of them. The rudder balance was very good, notably lighter on
the
helm than the standard wooden blade.
I have not forgotten about the idea of a one-piece "racing" unit..
Presently
I am upgrading the rigging to better halyards, sheets, and deck hardware.
I hope business is going well for you... I will be recommending the
Idasailor blade to my friends in the Northern California West Wight Potter
Association as the winter progresses..
Best Wishes..
Cheers, Bruce
Bruce Hood
P-15 "Eilidh"
Joel,
Attached is a picture of "Baydream" (the butt end, at any rate),
showing off
the new one piece rudder and bracket.
Went out today for about an hour, and the rudder/tiller and bracket worked
just great. Very smooth performance, both with tacking and jibing. I will
gladly recommend your business to anyone who desires WWP parts. It was my
pleasure doing business with you this time, and the next time I dream up
something for "Baydream," I'll be sure to contact you first. Many,
many,
thanks to you and the staff at Idasailor who helped make this rudder and
bracket arrangement a reality.
Happy sailing,
Nancy E. Wigal
P19, #1135, "Baydream"
Arlington, VA
Joel
It looks simply GREAT! I'm sure you must be proud of the quality of product you turn out. I think the handle is much better then the badly twisted original.
Thanks,
George
Joel, this is my report on the rudder blade you madefor my
P15. It is a
little smaller and heavier than the stock wooden one I had but boy do I
like it. These are just impressions and subjective but the feed back on
the tiller seems much much better. It really feels like there is less
drag. It seems to me I can feel rudder turbulance start to build before
it stalls which give me a chance to back off or wiggle it a little. The
control is at least as good if not better. A great product. If you would
like to use this as a buyers testimony feel free.
Thanks
Don
Wwp15
Good evening.
Today I installed your foil rudder blade on my Compac 23. It was a Christmas present from my kids. Installation was simple, though we had to drill a hole for the keeper pin that prevents the rudder from moving to the horizontal position when underway. Drilling was not a problem with the aluminum core. Today we were in a 20 kt. wind with 1-3 ft. seas on Galveston Bay, and the rudder performed very well. It felt much lighter to the touch (reduced weather helm) and definitely brought the boat around quicker when we tacked. The CP23 has a shoal draft keel that does not make for snappy tacking, so the rudder\'s efficiency was welcome. In port the rudder does not clear the water completely when in the \"up\" position, and marine growth is abundant in the warm waters of Galveston. What do you recommend as a marine coating for the rudder? Is there anything that is definitely not recommended as a coating? I look forward to more testing of your foil rudder, and I\'ll report on it later for your review section.
Chris Seger - Houston, Texas
All,
The
performance enhancement comes mainly in the form of far less
weather helm (finger tip control), smoother tacks with less loss of
speed (on the 19 this can make a big difference when sailing in light
winds), and no more vibrating rudder, all that and a small gain in
overal speed. The foiled rudder and Divis tiller tamer are the two
best upgrades I have made.
I knew I liked my foiled rudder on the 19 but it wasnt until I sailed
the 23 without one yesterday that I realized how much nicer it is.
I felt it was worth the cabbage!
Take care,
John Pender
1988 CP-19 DORA-MAE
1987 CP-23 OSPREY
About the “value” of the IdaSailor foiled rudder for Com-Pac boats:
If the vessel only goes 5 kts, and you can gain .5 kts in
your overall
speed, thats a 10% increase in performance. While speed isn't the
reason for the rudder, it an easily understood value I use to show
that it doesn't take much improvement at the 5 kts our boats travel to
actually make a big difference overall.
For instance - At the end of a long day of sailing for me, that .5 kt
difference could easily mean landfall an hour sooner (and
post-anchoring "sundowners" in the cockpit, instead of a
"nightcap" :)
). I have no idea how I could definitively measure it, but I feel that
the rudder does make for an overall increase in my boat speed. It
would be neat to sail 2 boats, one with and one without a foiled
rudder, and see just how much of a difference it made. I'd bet it
would be significant.
Using a foiled rudder, the boat handles large course corrections (like
when tacking) much better, because putting the tiller over uses lift
instead of drag to turn the boat. Think of it this way - Cars don't
steer with their brakes, why should a boat? :) This makes the biggest
difference when going to windward, helping to make course changes with
minimal loss of speed due to drag, and noone has extra speed working
to windward. Remember - sailing only 1 degree farther off the wind for
an hour will be a mile further you have to sail to get back to your
course made good.
Subjectively, I have enjoyed sailing my boat much more overall than
when I didn't have the foiled rudder. Weather helm has almost ceased
to be an issue entirely - it is definitely not a concern for me
anymore. Especially on windy days, it has become fun to steer, not a
chore. I've even had a friend comment (unsolicited) that he noticed a
difference in how she handled with the foiled rudder, compared to the
flat plate when he had sailed her the first time.
I think the foiled rudder is a great improvement to the way the boat
handles, not simply a "performance part" to help me beat someone in a
race. IMO - Well worth $200, especially if you sail a lot.
Kurt - CP23D
liquid-epiphany.com
Hi
Joel:
Just wanted you to know that we received the rudder assembly and am
extremely pleased with your workmanship. In fact, it looks so good that
my
wife keeps saying that she wants to add it to our interior decor! I am
hoping to have an opportunity to "finish" it this weekend but
probably won't
be able to try it out until next spring! When I do, I'll drop you a note
to
let you know how it performed. Thanks again for a beautifully designed
and
constructed tiller/rudder assembly. We couldn't be pleased more!
Mickey and Joelle Rathsam
Manlius, New York
>
> Dear Joel,
>
> I just wanted to thank you for the special consideration that
> IdaSailor undertook in remaking my sliding companionway hatch.
> All-in-all I did have to make some additional cuts and adjustments but
> that was expected and easy. As discussed, I have some photos for
you: Hatch, plexi
> hatch boards, sliding hatch guides and railings. Yesterday was the
> first day to get the old derelicts out on the Hudson River (my
> birthday actually). A beautiful Indian Summer day. I
didn't think
> of the photos until almost sunset but I hope that you can use them.
> Over the winter I will dream up some more projects and get in touch.
> Mahogany table top to replace the delaminating plastic
> laminate?...that would be an easy rectangle.
>
> Best regards
>
> George Kewin
Hi Joel, I just received your Potter 15
custom rudder blade. I just want you to know how happy I am with it. The craftsmanship
is first class. I can't wait to try it out. THANK YOU!
Jerry Barrilleaux
Dear A23ers (and probably some
A21ers who might be
interested):
I thought I'd chime in on my new mast internal halyard system
courtesy of Joel Santarone and IdaSailor. What a difference! No
more running fore and aft, no more trying to keep the boat
pointed into the wind while fiddling with the halyards, no more
clumsy single-handling!
The conversion is not difficult for anyone with a modicum of
experience using a router and hand tools. It does require some
simple conversions to your masthead and mast-step/tabernacle
that Joel does in-house + the exit blocks / turning blocks /
stand-ups and cleats. The best part about the whole conversion
is the BIG increase in safety that is to be gained when you can
stay in the cockpit to raise and lower sails.
I'll try to post pics for you soon (I'm having too much fun sailing
these days but will bring my digital camera along for some
"action" shots next time). Thanks to Joel and IdaSailor my A23 is
a LOT more fun and easier to sail.
Tom in NY
Joel, FYI,
I hit a whale a few days ago off Point Vicente! The wire rope (5/32") I
use as a
hold-down broke but the rudder was undamaged. I was out about 9 miles fishing
and looking for whales to get pictures of. I hadn't seen a thing and was doing
about 5.5 Kn in a nice breeze. I went below to get a beer and felt the c-board
kick up, next there was a ker-pow! As the wire rope on the rudder parted. I
looked out of the cabin to see a large set of flukes sounding. It was a
California gray whale! I guess it was asleep on the surface otherwise I'd have
seen its spout before going below. Interestingly the new rudder leaves some
control even when kicked up, the stock never did. I was able to heave to and
push the rudder down with my deck brush (would be nice to have some lead in the
bottom, I guess that HDPE is near neutral buoyancy). I used one of your delrin
pins to hold it down and was able to sail the rest of the day without a
problem.
Needless to say I did not try to test the hold down pin. My only comment on the
pins is I wish they were slightly thinner in diameter, it would make them
easier
to insert in a seaway while leaning over the lazarette and trying to position
the hole properly with a deck brush.
P.S. I'm still interested in info on the replacement swing C-board you make. My
C-board now has a small divot in the tip. Probably from some barnacles on the
whale. Please see the questions in a previous e-mail. If you didn't get it
please let me know.
Leonard J. Tyminski, M.D.
Woodland Hills, CA
Joel,
I used the new rudder a few times last week and loved it. My autopilot keeps up 95% of the time except under the worst of conditions, and it looks great, too. Thanks!
Regards,
John Pate, BUYFROMTHISGUY Yachting SupplyJoel,
I got the Daggerboard last week. It looks Great !!! It is perfect
workmanship and finishing is impeccable !!!
I will try it in the boat sometime next week or so weather permitting. I am curious about how the 2 pieces added to prevent wiggling will fit into the well. I wonder about how all that lateral pressure concentratd on only a 2 inches wide surface could create stress. Well we will see
I let you know after the first fit 1
Thanks a lot for everything
Mario
Joel, Just received the tiller. Beautiful workmanship, thanks. --George
George A. Bozzuti
Got it today. Looks great. Can hardly wait to go sailing. Thanks.
I just received my new rudder and tiller for my US22, and it
was evrything that you advertised them to be. Looks great, and lighter than the
original. The only bad part about the deal is that it came in right as I was
getting ready for work. I am itching to go put it on the boat to see how it
looks and performs. Thanks guys for the great work.
Dan Holcomb
Greetings Joel,
As you know, I have been one happy camper with the rudder you made for
my M26D. It has made sailing that boat a dream.
I am also really pleased to see your business growing with new products,
new boats being served and even an ad in Sailing.
Well, I am expanding my fleet again. I helped a friend buy a Montgomery
17 a few years back and now he has agreed to sell it to me this spring
while he looks for a bigger boat.
The M17 has a tall fixed rudder as stock equipment and would be a great
candidate for a kick-up beachable rudder similar to others you have
fashioned.
I would be happy to provide the boat itself (once I am out of storage in
April) and rudder assy for your work product to develop a product line
for the M17's. I know you have other projects on the table and hope you
would consider this as an ongoing offer.
Best Regards,
Jim Desnoyers
Snow still tall as the bottom of a mules belly
Ketchum, ID
Hi Joel,
I Just wanted to thank you again for the fine work on the tiller. The
extra
length is perfect!
Thanks,
Dave Tuttle