Upgrading To or Consideration of a
3rd Generation Rudder
Installation
The 3rd generation rudder arrived today and is mounted. The lower pintle was about an inch longer than the upper and spacing was exactly correct so cutting the lower to match the upper was the only way I could get the rudder mounted. I pondered the reason for the longer lower... but the rudder wouldn't mount otherwise because of interference with the fuel vent cowling or the boarding ladder. I later learned that the lower pintles are generally longer to ease mounting by placing first the lower pintle into the gudgeon and then sliding down and then the upper but that scheme wouldn't work for my installation.It is a whopping 17 inches shorter than the 2nd generation beaching rudder that I was really happy with after balancing but had developed crazing cracks below the rudder head which may be gel coat cracks only... who knows?
Checking, it is confirmed the prop cannot get into the rudder.
Test results:
The 3rd has significantly less lift than the 2nd. This came as no surprise as Gerry Douglas confessed this to be likely while he was yet designing the third
.
It is very well balanced and offers no torque issues.
It will stall and drag sideways unable to hold the boat in the same way but to lesser degree than the 1st generation did.
Cruise Testing
The 3rd was put through the paces during my 2003 Great Lakes cruise covering about 200 miles with it. It came up short of being a suitable rudder for the 250 for cruising. It was often lacking control, and drove the autopilot nuts as it was so often in some state of stall condition. This left the pilot driving it harder over to try to hold course and of course, that only contributed to the drag and the worst of it was when the puff eased.... the now hard over rudder would then bite and lurch the boat leaving the auto pilot to respond. The auto pilot needs a rudder that it can position to hold a course and the 3rd can't do that.
I jerked the 3rd off the boat, thanking myself for stowing the 2nd below. The third now lives in the garage... a disappointment and waste of money for anyone using an auto pilot.
Conclusions
I've talked with Gerry Douglas a couple of times about rudder issues on the 250 and Gerry describes the sailing that I do as an anomaly for 250 use. Catalina is not marketing the 250 for aggressive sailing conditions and those who sail such are on their own regarding an effective rudder.
Gerry announcing that the 3rd will not be produced in a beaching design was a double disappointment, its lift is inadequate and not available in a beaching that better fits the personality of the water ballast boat.
The C250 is a fine and capable boat for trailer cruising and will handle some pretty rough conditions if it has a capable rudder, the 3rd is not it.
The Long & Short of the 3rd Rudder
After posting the inadequacies of lift of the 3rd to the Association forum, Bryan Beamer offered that he couldn't understand the lift inadequacy... and praised the 3rd as a far better rudder than the 2nd, that it offered much better slow speed control without any lift compromises.
When I came back at him with the fact that it was 17 inches shorter than the 2nd and likely why it was inadequate, he recognized that something was up... the 3rd on his wing keel was only 5 inches less than his 2nd.
This meant that the 3rd for the wing keel is 12 inches longer than the water ballast version. The reason Catalina did that is likely because the shorter version allows ramping with the rudder mounted (far safer than if the rudder is long and is forgotten).
Unfortunately, that foot difference compromises rudder grip in aggressive conditions and more especially when using an auto pilot, it will drive it crazy.
My sailing on the Great Lakes, Oscar VanLoverns East Coast sailing and those who sail on San Francisco Bay have all determined that the 3rd short doesn't get the job done. This all has opened the door for a third party alternative by IDA Rudders. They offer a high aspect ratio beaching rudder for the 250 and will make it in an extended length version. So far reports on it are good and I'm anxious to hear reports that it will handle aggressive conditions as well as the Catalina 2nd.
It appears that the wing keel came out a winner with the 3rd long but the water ballast design lost with the 3rd short.
If your considering a 250 water ballast and it will be cruised or sailed in aggressive conditions, then argue with Catalina for either a 2nd rudder (preferably beaching) or a 3rd long (make sure it is pulled before hitting the ramp) or if its a new boat, ask for a credit on the rudder and spend the savings on an IDA beaching.
The numbers on the various rudders are, 1st beaching - 61", 2nd beaching - 76", and 3rd (water ballast) - 59". The wing keel 3rd - 71".