Rudders

My 3270 Bayliner had a really annoying tendency of trying to turn sideways in a large following sea. I think many square-sterned boats act the same way. Increasing the rudder size was one of the things I did to make the boat track better. The other two were spray rails and rolling chocks (bilge keels). I had previously repowered with 230 hp Yanmars and had switched to 4-blade 18x16 props from Reedville (original props were 16x14 3-blade).

The spray rails give some lift so the boat doesn't bury as deeply in the back of the wave in front (our seas are typically short wavelength), the rolling chocks act like the feathers on an arrow, and the big rudders (with the bigger props and motors) provide enough push to control the boat. It now tracks very comfortably in anything up to about a six-foot following sea.

The modifications have been in use for about 13 years and have performed very well in conditions I really didn't like.

Please take a look by clicking here.

Thanks.