sailboat without a rudder

A Guide to Steering without a Rudder: Methods and Equipment Tested

Published on April 14th, 2014 by Editor -->

by Michael Keyworth I have been concerned for several years with the frequency of rudder loss and/or failure and the consequences of boats being lost or crew injured or lives lost. The purpose of the tests was to determine the best method and equipment to effectively steer the vessel to a safe port in the event of catastrophic rudder failure.

The goal was to utilize the equipment normally taken on the vessel on offshore passages or races. This guide is the result of multiple tests conducted in the fall of 2013 off of Newport, RI. The test vessel was a modified MK I Swan 44, Chasseur.

The overriding premise was; utilization of an efficient and controllable object to create drag and transmit to directional stability which results in the desired directional stability. It was my view that a drogue might be used to exert the appropriate drag. I further felt that a small drogue might provide the needed drag but not significantly impede the speed of the vessel.

Chasseur has been modified in the following relevant ways; the rudder skeg was removed and replaced with a modern spade rudder which is carbon fiber with a Carbon fiber shaft, the keel has been modified to a modern shape fin with a shoe, the mast is carbon fiber and 6 feet taller than original. For the purposes of the tests, the rudder was removed and the rudder port was blocked off.

I was familiar with and had onboard Chasseur a “Galerider” made by Hathaway, Reiser & Raymond of Stamford, Connecticut. I contacted Wes Oliver at Hathaway and he arranged to make several prototype drogues for the tests. We were equipped with: a 12inch diameter drogue with a 3 part bridle, a 12inch diameter drogue with a 4 part bridle, a 18 inch diameter drogue with a 4 part bridle, a 30 inch drogue with a 4 part bridle and a 36 inch drogue with a 4 part bridle.

The purpose of the test was to establish whether direction could be controlled under the following “underway” conditions using any of the drogues supplied: – With sail trim alone – Motoring using a drogue – Sailing upwind using a drogue – Sailing downwind using a drogue – Motorsailing using a drogue – Being towed using a drogue Size of drogue proved to be very important. The findings were definitive: – The two 12- inch drogues provided no directional stability. – The 18- inch drogue provided marginal control in winds under 10 knots – The 30- inch drogue was very effective in all conditions that were tested and resulted in approximately 1 knot reduction in boat speed. In wind conditions over 20 knots of windspeed a chain pennant needed to be added to reduce cavitation. – The 36- inch drogue worked similarly to the 30 inch drogue but affected boat speed by approximately1½ knots.

Rigging Two spinnaker sheets were used. I believe that spinnaker sheets are appropriate as they are generally sized based on length of boat. The sheets were led as two sides of a bridle (port and starboard) from amidships snatch blocks, thru amidships chock or similar and clipped into the swivel at the lead for the drogue. The tails were lead aft to the primaries in the cockpit. It is important to rig this so as to provoke the least amount of chafe as these lines will become your steering cables. We found that the leads need to be led to the axis of the keel as the boat will rotate on the keel. This point is probably somewhere near amidships.

Note : The afterguy block may be ideal for the bridle lead.

During rough and/or windy conditions it may be necessary to add weight to the drogue to keep it from cavitating. Using the concept of being limited to equipment that is already on board, we were able to use various lengths of chain attached to the swivel at the lead for the drogue. At the other end we effectively used a spare swivel shackle and attached one end to the forward end of chain and the other to the bridle from the boat. It is important to have swivels at both ends as the drogue will tend to rotate as it is pulled along. The bridle may get twisted up but this does not seem to affect the control. During our tests the length of “scope” of the bridle/drogue did not seem important. The nominal distance aft from the transom varied from 50 feet to 120 feet. It may be necessary to add scope in extreme conditions. I found that reference of the drogues position was valuable information. I whipped colored marks at 10 foot intervals on both spin sheet/bridle which gave a quick reference; this could be done with tape or magic marker.

Findings – Controlling direction with sail trim alone: Not Possible!!!

– Control direction while motoring using a drogue: This is the easiest scenario. A wide range of control is available. This can be done with only one person, easily. While testing we were able to execute multiple 360 degree turns with full control. Doing 5.5 knots a full 360 can be executed in 4-4 ½ boat lengths. While motoring, adjustments of 2-3 inches results in 5-10 degree course change.

– Controlling direction while sailing upwind using a drogue: The same principals apply except that there needs to be cooperation between the sail trimmers and the “helmsperson”(bridle trimmer). In this scenario the main must be up, even if reefed, the jib may be overlapping, but more control may be achieved with a non-overlapping jib. Tacking takes coordination but, once you get the hang of it, no problem– traveler up, back the jib and come on to the new tack. We were able to achieve 30-35 degrees apparent sail angle. In large seas wider angles should be expected.

– Controlling direction while sailing downwind using a drogue: When the wind is aft of 90 degrees apparent it is necessary to take the mainsail down and sail under Jib alone. It will be necessary to have an attentive jib trimmer in addition to a helmsperson on the drogue controls. The size of the jib will have to be factored in based on wind and sea conditions. We also found that the deeper the angle the harder it was to have fine control of direction. Jibing is pretty straightforward by easing the jib and rotating the drogue.

– Controlling direction while motorsailing using a drogue: The same principals apply as in sections on upwind and downwind sailing.

– Controlling direction while being towed using a drogue: This test, I felt was important because most successful results of rudder loss has a component of a tow of great and small distances to a safe harbor. In this situation we were towed by a 27’ Protector with two 250 HP outboards. A towing bridle was made up on Chasseur and attached to the tow line from the Protector. At 3 Knots the bow was swinging from port to starboard to the end of the tether. At 4 knots it was very difficult to stand on the foredeck. We deployed the 30 inch drogue as rigged for sailing and motoring. The results were immediate. Towing at 7 knots was comfortable and straight, requiring very little input from the helmsperson.

This is an important finding as it suggests that a drogue should be carried at all times so that assistance can be rendered safely, even inshore.

Additional Findings/ FAQs

– If you lose your rudder: First confirm that the rudder port is not leaking- if it is you must first deal with the flooding issue. Once the flooding issue is stabilized move on to the next step of getting home or assistance.

– Communicate with Race Officials if you are racing and/or with those onshore who will worry about your situation.

– Communicate with vessels nearby if in need of immediate help away from a lee shore or collision avoidance in shipping lanes.

– Choose your safe harbor destination based on wind direction predictions, ease of access, proximity, repair facilities, etc. Do not feel that you need to end at the original destination port.

– If you lose your rudder, it is likely that you either hit a submerged object or that the conditions were severe. Remember that you have time. Relax, storms don’t usually last more than a couple of days. Deploy your drogue or sea anchor and get some rest.

– Each time that we went testing we learned something new. Don’t be afraid to try something that you think might help, i.e. longer scope, move lead of bridle forward or aft, larger/smaller jib, reef/no reef, etc.

– An unanswered question is how a drogue will work with different types/styles and underbodies than Chasseur. My personal view is that a drogue will be an effective tool to have on any type of boat and its deployment can be adapted to the type of vessel that uses it. – Offshore you will have room to maneuver. Take your time and don’t stress about steering an accurate course.

– The engine is your friend. You will find that using engine power will provide the greatest degree of control- speed and direction. Use the engine to deploy sails, to get rest, or to retrieve the drogue- retrieval is easiest when the boat is stopped. Be careful to not tangle the bridle in the prop. This was never a problem during our trials. This was probably because; towards the end of trials we used a 5 foot chain pennant to help the drogue from cavitating. The chain component is an important one. I chose the use of chain to weight the drogue because ISAF Offshore Prescriptions require that an anchor with appropriate ground tackle be carried, so it need not be carried as additional gear. Others venturing offshore tend to take ample ground tackle to accommodate the use for other purposes. On a practical matter, I think that it makes sense to have different lengths of chain for required circumstances. It also makes sense that a longer chain can be made shorter using the rig cut away tools as required by the rule. A shorter chain can be made longer using shackles to join shorter lengths.

– How heavy is the Galerider? A standard 30- inch drogue weighs in at 9 pounds and is stored in a bag that is 15 inches in diameter and 5 inches thick. The standard 36- inch drogue weighs 13.2 pounds and stores in a bag that is 18 inches in diameter and 4 inches thick.

– One of the difficulties that you will face to determine where the helmsperson is stationed and has access to heading or a compass. Something that you may want to consider, as you equip for an offshore passage is the purchase of a backup compass which can be remotely mounted. Boats equipped with modern electronic packages may have the option of display of heading for both helmsperson and trimmer/s.

– It would be prudent for any offshore sailor to practice the deployment of a drogue for speed reduction sailing downwind in large seas and to rig and use as a means of steering. This would help to identify the gear necessary to deploy and provide a ready plan to implement if necessary.

– The transition from drogue to drogue steering or vise versa may be easier than you think.

– A trick that we learned is that you can cleat off one of the bridle lines and have control with the other. If you were to cleat off the port bridle line a turn to port would result from easing the starboard bridle and a subsequent change to starboard would result from trimming the starboard bridle. This lazy mans approach gives the helmsperson more flexibility and physical relief.

– What I learned from the extensive testing is that you can achieve a great deal of control using a drogue. I would bet that if any boat is able to sail 100+ miles without a rudder to a safe port, the crew will want to take a victory lap around the harbor to “show off” the newfound skill and seamanship ability.

One last thought. Having sailed over 150,000 miles at sea I have seen many things and have been able to overcome all sorts of adverse conditions, I still have many concerns and reservations. One concern is that of rudder loss and how to deal with that possibility. This test should help all who go to sea with that possibility. The other concern that haunts me each time I go to sea is the amount of floating debris and other objects that may affect the ability of even the most seamanlike sailor to safely passage from place to place. The possibility of being holed or sunk from collisions with floating debris is real. Most of the stories I have heard about boats at sea that have become rudderless have resulted in the abandonment of those vessels. These abandoned vessels represent a threat to those fellow sailors who put to sea and put them unnecessarily at risk. Michael Keyworth is Vice President and General Manager of Brewer Cove Haven Marina in Barrington, RI.

Tags: education , Safety

Related Posts

Testing the scoring programs →

Programming to improve with each race →

Crocodile – 1, Sunfish sailor – 0 →

VIDEO: DragonFlite 95 boat tuning clinic →

© 2024 Scuttlebutt Sailing News. Inbox Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved. made by VSSL Agency .

• Privacy Statement
• Advertise With Us

Get Your Sailing News Fix!

Your download by email.

• Your Name...
• Your Email... *
• Comments This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

• New Sailboats
• Sailboats 21-30ft
• Sailboats 31-35ft
• Sailboats 36-40ft
• Sailboats Over 40ft
• Sailboats Under 21feet
• used_sailboats
• Apps and Computer Programs
• Communications
• Fishfinders
• Handheld Electronics
• Plotters MFDS Rradar
• Wind, Speed & Depth Instruments
• Anchoring Mooring
• Running Rigging
• Sails Canvas
• Standing Rigging
• Diesel Engines
• Off Grid Energy
• Cleaning Waxing
• DIY Projects
• Repair, Tools & Materials
• Spare Parts
• Tools & Gadgets
• Cabin Comfort
• Ventilation
• Footwear Apparel
• Foul Weather Gear
• Mailport & PS Advisor
• Inside Practical Sailor Blog
• Activate My Web Access
• Reset Password
• Pay My Bill
• Customer Service

• Free Newsletter
• Give a Gift

How to Sell Your Boat

Cal 2-46: A Venerable Lapworth Design Brought Up to Date

Rhumb Lines: Show Highlights from Annapolis

Open Transom Pros and Cons

Leaping Into Lithium

The Importance of Sea State in Weather Planning

Do-it-yourself Electrical System Survey and Inspection

Install a Standalone Sounder Without Drilling

When Should We Retire Dyneema Stays and Running Rigging?

Rethinking MOB Prevention

Top-notch Wind Indicators

The Everlasting Multihull Trampoline

How Dangerous is Your Shore Power?

DIY survey of boat solar and wind turbine systems

What’s Involved in Setting Up a Lithium Battery System?

The Scraper-only Approach to Bottom Paint Removal

Can You Recoat Dyneema?

Gonytia Hot Knife Proves its Mettle

Where Winches Dare to Go

The Day Sailor’s First-Aid Kit

Choosing and Securing Seat Cushions

Cockpit Drains on Race Boats

Rhumb Lines: Livin’ the Wharf Rat Life

Re-sealing the Seams on Waterproof Fabrics

Safer Sailing: Add Leg Loops to Your Harness

Waxing and Polishing Your Boat

Reducing Engine Room Noise

Tricks and Tips to Forming Do-it-yourself Rigging Terminals

Marine Toilet Maintenance Tips

Learning to Live with Plastic Boat Bits

• Safety & Seamanship

Sailing Without a Rudder

Drogues offset helm to get you home again..

Loss of steering may well be the most common cause of rescue for boats sailing offshore, but the problem is even more common inshore where there is more debris to hit. An emergency rudder is always possible, but for most of us, extra gear to rig, cost, and strength concerns most often render the option impractical. Wrestling an emergency rudder into position will be physical and possibly dangerous in rough conditions. In the case of a catamaran it is simple to disconnect a rudder that is jammed straight, but what if it is jammed hard over, as in the loss of the Alpha 42 Catamaran Be Good Too in 2014? Tests have been published using drogues for steering with the rudder either removed or locked in position, showing that in moderate weather even sailing to windward is practical as long as sails were adjusted in concert and the drogue position was adjustable. Our questions go further. What if the rudder has jammed an angle? Are all drogues appropriate for this purpose? How do you choose the best size?

Our goal was not only to test rigging methods and drogues, but also to quantify how it sailed under drogue steering control. What rigging works best, what size drogue is required, what courses can we sail, how stable are they, and how quickly will we get home? In H ow Much Drag? ( Practical Sailor September 2016) we collected data for a range of commercial drogues. That information will help you translate out findings into a steering drogue that will work for your boat.

What We Tested

For steering, a relatively low-drag device is required. While parachute-type sea anchors and high-resistance or stopping drogues may be good for surviving a severe storm, they arent useful for getting to port with no steering. As we will learn, if the drogue produces too little drag, we can’t control the boat in all circumstances; too much drag slows us down and prevents progress to windward. Thus, we tested the Seabrake GP24L, Galerider 30, Delta Drogue 72, and a towed warp.

We tested using a 32-foot PDQ catamaran with the rudders still in place, either locked straight or at 60 percent to one side to simulate a single rudder jammed hard-over. Each of these simulates an actual occurrence, and even on monohulls, bent and jammed rudders are more common than lost rudders. Of course, losing the rudder entirely presents a slightly different case, since the rudder provides some portion of the lateral plane as well as steering control. Much depends on the underwater profile of the boat and the sail plan, so you will need to practice and amend our findings to fit your boat.

How We Tested

We deployed each device on 100 feet of polyester double braid rope, weighted with 8 feet of 5/16-inch chain, and towed them at two speeds (3 knots and about 4-5 knots) to develop a speed-versus-drag relationship.

We then deployed each device from our test boat using a bridle formed by a pair of spinnaker sheets (see Improve Steering Efficiency, on right) and sailed a variety of courses in a variety of wind speeds up to 30 knots sustained in semi-protected waters, building a rough speed polar for each device. We also compared performance with different the bridle attachment points and rode lengths. For initial testing we deployed the drogues from a bridle consisting of spinnaker sheets led to turning blocks at the toe rail about 8 feet forward of the transom, varying both bridle position and sail trim until the best speed and course were attained. We then sailed each course for at least 10 minutes, collecting averages and judging stability. The result is an overall picture of how the boat sailed around the course with each drogue. We then practiced with several of the drogues, deploying them on longer rodes in stronger conditions, using both the genoa sheet bridle and a bridle formed by deploying with a single line from one winch, and then deflecting it to one side using a snatch block and pendant led to a winch on the other side.

Drogue Selection

How to pick the best size drogue for emergency steering? In snubber testing we found our 34-foot catamaran test boat to be roughly equivalent to the ABYC 40-foot monohull in terms of windage, which gave a lunch hook anchor load of 300 pounds. Our recommendations for winds up to 20 knots is to pick a drogue that produces about 60 percent of the ABYC lunch hook load when towed at 4.2 knots. For stronger conditions, up to gale force, go up 100 percent of the AYBC lunch hook load; the larger size can be de-powered by using on very short scope, within limits.

Following this logic and our on-water experience, the Seabrake 24 and Delta Drogue 72 were well sized for our 34-foot test boat in moderate to fresh conditions. The Galerider 30 was wonderfully smooth and fun to use, but it was over powered in winds above 15 knots (the Galerider 36 is the correct size for the test boat).

Since all products were tested in moderate conditions on a single boat (34-foot catamaran), our recommendations should be adjusted to reflect the boat you have and conditions you anticipate. In How Much Drag is a Drogue? we presented drag data and more detailed reviews.

Delta Drogue 72, Paratech Engineering

Based on an equilateral triangle of fabric, the Delta Drogue 72 is dimensionally similar to the other units in the test (the size designation is related to the side of the triangle and not the inflated diameter). It did have the occasional bad habit of skipping out of the water when overloaded at short scope, but not fully, and it very quickly re-engaged, always before any effect on course was noticed. The elegantly simple design is functional, well-proven, and strong.

Bottom line: Though a simple cone drogue may be cheaper, this represents the Best Buy in a real offshore drogue.

Galerider 30, Hathaway, Reiser & Raymond

Providing by far the most consistent drag at varying rode length and in waves, it was the tester favorite. While other drogues produced wildly fluctuating drag forces both under water and when near the surface, the Galerider was remarkably stable under water and by far the least affected by surfacing. Our sample drogue was a 30-inch diameter size, and a 36-inch diameter was prescribed for our test boat. As a result, the we had trouble maintaining control with the undersized drogue in higher wind speeds. While added weight is not required for speed limiting use in storms, Galerider does recommend a short length of chain for steering use, primarily to allow it to be pulled very close behind the boat and still stay in the water. Considering the long service history of the unit (over 1000 units over 20 years), durability has generally been very good.

Bottom line: In all but the windiest conditions, the Galerider excelled. We have no doubt a larger diameter would have fared better. It is our Best Choice for emergency steering.

Seabrake 24

Although a little too large for light wind emergency steering, the extra drag was appreciated with the wind over 20 knots and when the rudder was locked to one side. Compared to the Galerider it was less stable when towed on extremely short rode to reduce drag, but still functional and quite stable with 50-100 feet of rode. Seabrake: The reduction in speed near beam reach is due to dropping the mainsail.

Below 10 knots we were able to fly the chute at angles below 150 degrees true. Speeds in stronger winds include wave effects but not surfing. The Seabrake may have been faster in light winds if we had hauled it to very short scope, but that was not what we were testing. We did observe this, however; drogues pulled in close were faster, but less stable. We believe the Gale Rider would be more stable, since it does not skip.

Bottom line: Recommended for larger boats and for stronger conditions in smaller boats.

Small Shark, Fiorentino

Perhaps the easiest to deploy, it is compact for the drag produced, packs very small, does not require chain in front of the attachment (it does require a tail weight, typically a small mushroom anchor), and is easiest to get in the water. The Small Shark, with the mushroom anchor at the base, gets strong marks for ease of deployment; just heave it off the back.

Bottom line: Durability, easy deployment, and small size earn a Recommended rating.

Warps and Chain

Boats have sailed impressive distances with rope, chain, anchors, and fenders linked together to make a jury-rigged drogue. We tested just two 100-foot x -inch lines with 30 feet of 3/8-inch chain between them.

Bottom line: Not enough drag to do anything worthwhile unless a lot more stuff is added.

Conclusions

We always thought drogues were only for ocean passages and dangerous storms, until we struck a log and felt the helplessness of no steering and the closeness of a lee shore. We learned that loss of steering is a coastal sailing risk as well. Fortunately, a drogue and the knowledge to use it can restore a useful level of control in minutes.

Steering is more limited and laborious than plain sailing, and you wont point as high, but you can stabilize the boat to hold a course on most points of sail. With even low engine RPMs as a boost, you can sail most courses in moderate weather. Drogues can also temporarily replace a failed autohelm on downwind courses, although speeds are reduced; setting an retrieving a drogue in moderate conditions for this purpose is not difficult, and could be well worth the effort to gain a rest period. We were happy with spinnaker sheets for controls, though we suspect a turning block location at the point of maximum beam would better suit monohulls.

We strongly suggest practicing with the boat you have; you may find different rigging works better and re-rigging once the drogue is in the water can be very difficult. Our testing was limited to sustained winds 30-35 knots and wont pretend to know how emergency steering works beyond our experience. However, steering problems can also occur in moderate conditions, either the result of a collision, or in the aftermath of a storm, where a boat that has otherwise come through with minimal damage is prevented from heading to shore by one damaged appendage. We think steering drogues address these problems, and thus make sense for all sailors.

• Ideal Drogue setup will require experiments

The above table lists drogues recommended by their manufacturers for boats that generally fit in the 30- to 45-foot range. This is an estimated size, and the broad range of boats in this category—stretching between a Catalina 30 to a William Garden Vagabond 47—illustrates the importance of consulting manufacturers and researching other reports when matching a drogue size to a boat. PS tested five of the above drogues. The source of other data is noted in the table.

Occasionally, so-called “expert” advice on seamanship and boat-handling doesn’t play out in the real world. Sometimes it is nautical lore passed down through generations but never tested. In other cases, the advice is simply outdated and is no longer useful to owners of contemporary boat designs, especially those that have unique sailing characteristics. One example of this came up in this test when we tested a commonly promoted practice—using a snatch block to join the bridle lines on a catamaran

• Our test drogues came in a range of styles. The weblike Galerider (yellow) clearly stood out for its appearance.
• In an attempt to keep the boat on a reach in moderate breeze, we positioned the Sea Brake on the quarter.
• We tried deploying the drogues on a single line from a starboard stern cleat, deflecting it to port with a snatch block and a pendant. When the wind and waves increased, though, the snatch block slipped down the line and was pinned against the hull—immobilized.

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

How Can I Keep My Kids Safe Onboard?

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Log in to leave a comment

Latest Videos

Island Packet 370: What You Should Know | Boat Review

How To Make Starlink Better On Your Boat | Interview

Catalina 380: What You Should Know | Boat Review

• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell My Personal Information
• Online Account Activation
• Privacy Manager

Can You Sail Without A Rudder?

Before you embark on any sailing trip, be it a short or longer one, you always triple-check that all parts of the vessel are secure. You would hate to be without any of the components, after all, yet sometimes, that’s just what happens. If your sailboat loses its rudder, what do you do? Can you still sail?

Yes, it’s possible to sail without a rudder, a part of your boat that helps you steer. To manage turns, you need to rely more on the heel and sail trim of your sailboat as well as the boat’s weight. You also want to work with the wind, as it can keep you moving in the right direction. 

It’s not uncommon to lose your rudder on a sailboat, and many sailors have safely navigated to their destination without one. In this article, we’ll explain more about what the rudder does, why yours may disappear, and how to sail sans rudder. You won’t want to miss it. 

What Is a Rudder?

Just to ensure we’re on the same page, let’s start by defining your sailboat’s rudder. This is a steering control surface found on sailboats as well as submarines, other boats, and ships. Aircraft and hovercraft have rudders as well. 

Rudders feature a blade-like edge, and they’re taller than they are wider. You can find a rudder on your sailboat off to one side, typically by the skeg. This rudder can be inboard or outboard. A rudder that’s inboard hangs from the boat’s skeg or keel. Inboard rudders go fully under the hull. In this position, they can attach to the boat’s steering mechanism via a rudder post. This post goes from the hull up to the deck and through the cockpit.

If you do a lot of off-shore sailing, an inbound rudder is your best bet, as it may be able to withstand these conditions better.

An outbound rudder has a much simpler setup, as it hangs as well, but this time from either the transom or the stern. 

Generally, if a rudder has fin keels that are small, it handles more quickly and efficiently than a bigger one would. 

How Do Rudders Work?

Now that you understand the basics of sailboat rudders, let’s dive a little deeper into the topic by describing how rudders themselves work. 

As we mentioned in the intro, when a sailboat wants to steer, it relies in part on the rudder. As water flows towards the boat per the direction you’re going, the rudder pushes the water away. You can turn a rudder as well, causing one side of it to strike water at a weaker force and the other side at a stronger force. The rudder follows whichever side has less pressure.

Your sailboat’s rudder moves in conjunction with the stern, thus effectively turning your boat. If your boat is 30 feet or shorter in length, then a tiller may be included with the rudder. This will move the rudder as you turn or steer. 

These tillers are aluminum or wood and sit atop the rudder. The reason a tiller is added to your setup is to provide leverage to the rudder. Now, this smaller rudder (to accommodate for the smaller boat) can still move if water pressure gets high, allowing you to turn. 

Why Do Rudders Fall Off?

While rudders are a key component to regular sailing, they don’t necessarily stick with your boat forever. They can fall off while sailing and you often won’t even notice. It’s only when you get back to shore that you realize you’re rudder-less, and there’s no way to go back and recover it. You don’t even know where the rudder fell off.

What causes the rudder to vanish? There are all sorts of reasons this happens. In some instances, saltwater can degrade the quality of the rudder until it’s so brittle it can’t stay on your boat. The high water pressure can also sometimes knock the rudder right off. 

If your rudder isn’t secure for any reason, then you can lose it quite easily. The same is true if it’s broken or damaged. Sometimes the stocks of the rudder corrode, weakening the entire structure. If you race your sailboat, you’re at risk of coming back without a rudder as well. Also, hitting something submerged in the water can smack your rudder off your sailboat. 

What to Do If You Lose a Rudder

Okay, so your rudder is gone. You’re not sure how and when it happened, but you have no rudder, and that’s what’s most important. 

There’s no need to call off your next sailing expedition or even head to shore if you’re already on the water. It is possible to sail without a rudder, which we’ll describe in much more detail in the next section. 

You can also rely on your drogue in such a situation. A drogue is a type of boat device on a line that connects to the stern. If stormy conditions are in your future, then a drogue is very useful to have, since it can control your speed so you don’t go racing into inclement conditions. In strong waves, a drogue is also your best friend, as it protects your hull against the waves. We’ll talk later about how to use a drogue, so keep reading.

It’s important not to panic without a rudder, even if you do find yourself in stormy weather. Instead, closely study the information presented in these next two sections. Keep it in mind each time you set sail. After all, acting deftly and confidently can get you out of a dangerous situation faster than freaking out. 

How to Sail Without a Rudder

Turning your sailboat without your rudder may seem impossible, but it’s anything but. Instead of being more reliant on the rudder, you want to use the heel of your sailboat, its trim, and the weight of your boat to help you navigate. 

It’s ideal if two of your sails are in functioning shape (such as after a storm) so you can get upwind. By putting downward pressure on the stern, you will move upwards, and by putting downward pressure on the bow, the jib allows you to sail downwards, also known as falling off. Pulling in the mainsail and releasing pressure on the jib can control this falling off if need be.

Depending on the weight of your boat, its aft and fore angles or trim and side angle or heel changes. Since your sailboat has a natural curvature, based on the curved direction of the hull, you can guide your heel and thus your turn. 

For example, if you wanted to head downwind, many sailors will heel the sailboat so it’s windward. This creates balance in the sail without the need to round up or head upward. 

Watch the aft and fore trim as well, especially without a rudder. Adding too much stern weight can off-center the sail’s effort, making it go forward and causing you to round up. The bow shouldn’t have so much weight that your stern rises out of the water, as this will make your sailboat fall off.

If all this sounds complicated, that’s okay. Like with any sailing technique, it takes time, practice, and close knowledge of your boat to get a feel for sailing without a rudder. Luckily, this isn’t one of these scenarios that have to remain an emergency only. You can always pop your rudder off on a sunny, pristine day and practice sailing without it. This way, you know that should you ever lose your rudder for real, you’d be ready. 

How to Use a Drogue

We said we’d get back to how to use a drogue, so let’s wrap up with that now. As discussed before, a drogue can act sort of like an anchor when it’s deployed. You’d want both sides of the drogue’s line attached to the stern, and then you could release it. 

When the drogue is in the water, it allows the stern side of the sailboat to have more drag. This means a breach cannot occur, or the transom cannot exceed the bow. With your drogue, you can also maintain stability and direction, going straight or doing other steering. 

To trim your boat with a drogue, connect a bridle to either side of the starboard and cleats port. Then, take one of the bridles and shorten it. This will turn your sailboat. 

Not only does having a drogue help if your rudder falls off, but there are other scenarios where it comes in handy. For instance, if your boat runs out of gas in the middle of the water, the drogue becomes a makeshift steering system for emergencies. 

Again, rather than wait until you’re in a truly dicey situation to test your knowledge of how to use your drogue, why not do a practice run in clear, open waters? With your rudder off and your steering skills down pat, deploy your drogue and see how well you can use it. Did you have a hard time steering with the drogue? If so, keep practicing. Should you ever need to use the drogue, you’ll know just what you’re doing. 

Conclusion 

The rudder is a part of your sailboat that allows for easier steering. Rudders come off the boat all the time, either because of age, poor condition, turbulent waters, or collisions with undersea debris. 

If your rudder is gone, don’t panic. You can still steer without one, although it requires you to know about boat angles and using the wind to your advantage. You should also rely on your drogue, a type of anchor-like appendage that controls speed when deployed.

Now, no matter what life throws at you on your sailboat, you’ll be prepared. Happy sailing! 

I am the owner of sailoradvice. I live in Birmingham, UK and love to sail with my wife and three boys throughout the year.

Recent Posts

How To Sail From The Great Lakes To The Ocean

It’s a feat in and of itself to sail to the Great Lakes. Now you want to take it one step further and reach the ocean, notably, the Atlantic Ocean. How do you chart a sailing course to get to the...

Can You Sail from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico by Boat? 

You have years of boating experience and consider yourself quite an accomplished sailor. Lately, you’ve been interested in challenging yourself and traveling greater distances than ever before. If...

• Cruising Compass Media Advertising & Rates
• Blue Water Sailing
• Multihulls Today
• Subscribe Today

Steering Without a Rudder

In modern cruising and racing sailboats with fin keels and spade rudders, the most vulnerable part of the whole boat is the rudder. Every year during the fall and spring migration seasons when hundreds of boats sail offshore between winter and summer cruising grounds, a few have rudder problems. Collisions with submerged containers or a whale, can do serious damage to a spade rudder. Getting tangled in a drift net or other fishing gear can cause a rudder to fail. Very occasionally rudder posts break off between the rudder and the hull; this can be caused by work-hardening in stainless steel or aluminum posts or a poor laminate in a composite post.  Whatever the circumstances, if you find yourself without your rudder with many miles still to sail, you don’t have to call for help because the boat can still be sailed and steered. But, you have to be prepared.

Veteran offshore sailor, skipper and professional Michael Keyworth took it upon himself in 2013 to figure out how to prepare a sailboat to be steered without a rudder. The old ideas of fashioning a rudder with a spinnaker pole and a table leaf really doesn’t work for any length of time. What has worked in the past is towing a drogue of some kind behind the boat. But this concept has never been really effective.
    Keyworth removed the rudder from his Swann 44 Chasseur and set about doing sea trials with all sorts of different jury-rigged steering systems. What he found was there are several key elements to setting up an effective drogue steering system. First, you need the right type and size drogue. He found that a 30-inch Gale Rider gave the best connection to the water while reducing speed by only a knot. Second, the control lines on port and starboard should not be run directly to winches in the aft cockpit. Instead, the control lines should be run to snatch blocks fixed to the amidships cleats on the side decks and then aft to the cockpit winches. These cleats are generally positioned close to the boat’s center of gravity and to the center of lateral resistance in the keel. In other words, without a rudder aft, the boat’s pivot point is the keel. Third, in winds over 20 knots, a length of chain needs to be added to the Gale Rider’s bridle to keep the drogue well immersed in water.

With this rig, Keyworth found he could control Chasseur on all point of sail and could even tack without turning on the engine by simply trimming the control lines port and starboard. He wrote up his findings with all of his observations and recommendations in a comprehensive report, and you can find it on the Newport to Bermuda Race’s website. If you truly want to be self-sufficient and self-reliant when sailing offshore, knowing how to sail your boat without the rudder is an important, even life saving skill.  Read the full report here.

Sandy Parks

You might also like.

• She Asked, How Hard Can It Be? Boys Do It

The Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show Opens Next Week

All New Beneteau Oceanis 37.1 Family Cruiser for 2024

Read the Summer-Fall Edition of Blue Water Sailing

Read the fall 2023 edition of blue water sailing, recent posts.

• Survey of the Week

• Introducing the New Twin-Keel, Deck Saloon Sirius 40DS

Please Visit Our Sponsor’s Webpages

• Media Advertising & Rates

Published by Blue Water Sailing Media, a division of Day Communications, Inc., Middletown, RI

Publisher & Editor: George Day

Blue Water Sailing Media publishes Blue Water Sailing magazine, Multihulls Today and other titles.

Cruising Compass Advertising Sales:

George Day, Newport, RI [email protected] 401-847-7612

• New 2024 Bavaria C50 Tour with Yacht Broker Ian Van Tuyl

© 2014 Blue Water Media. All rights reserved. | Admin

Rudderless Drill

Reprinted from “Fundamentals of Sailing, Cruising, & Racing” by Steve Colgate; published by W.W. Norton & Co.

Another drill one hopes never to have to use is sailing without a rudder. Though you may sail 20 years without losing your rudder at sea, it could happen your first time out. You can control the direction of the boat by changing the efficiency of the sails fore and aft. By luffing the jib and trimming the main, we create weather helm and the boat turns into the wind. By luffing the main and flattening the jib, the wind pushes the bow to leeward – in other words, lee helm. To practice this, trim your jib reasonably flat and ease your mainsail until the boat is balanced and sails straight ahead when the helm is released. Then change your course by trimming the main to head up and pushing the boom out to fall off. When the bow starts swinging in one direction, you must immediately begin the opposite procedures to counteract the swing.

In order to tack, free the jib sheets and trim in the mainsail hard and fast. As soon as the boat is past head-to-wind, trim the jib and ease the main to force the bow down. If necessary, back the jib.

Jibing is much more difficult to do without the rudder because the mainsail causes the boat to turn toward the wind when running. To try it, ease the main completely, making sure the boom vang is also loose, and back the jib to windward. As you fall off to a run, move all the crew to the windward side of the boat and hike out. By heeling the boat to weather, lee helm should be created. Just as a bow wave on the lee side pushes a heeling boat to weather, a bow wave on the windward side (caused by healing the boat to windward) pushes the bow to leeward. In this case, we are using crew weight to help a rudderless jibe, but at other times crew members hike out to weather, not only when closehauled, but on reaches and runs to reduce weather helm.

If the breeze is very light, we can make minor adjustments to the helm by moving the crew weight forward and aft. With the boat balanced as described above, move the crew well forward toward the bow. The boat will head into the wind as the curve of the bow bites more deeply into the water. By moving the crew to the stern, the bow will fall off to leeward.

We hope you found our advice on how to sail without a rudder helpful. Happy Sailing from Steve Colgate , founder of Offshore Sailing School!

Recent News

National learn to sail month – aboard the leopard 45 with offshore sailing school, offshore sailing school controller dana matthews promoted to evp, chief financial officer at company, to thailand…and back – what an adventure.

• BOAT OF THE YEAR
• Newsletters
• Sailboat Reviews
• Boating Safety
• Sailing Totem
• Charter Resources
• Destinations
• Galley Recipes
• Living Aboard
• Sails and Rigging
• Maintenance
• Best Marine Electronics & Technology

• Uncategorized

Ship Without a Rudder

• By Herb McCormick
• Updated: July 5, 2005

It’d been a bouncy, wet, exhilarating 13 hours since we’d answered the starting gun off Fort Lauderdale last February 4 to begin the roughly 800-mile race to Jamaica in the 2005 edition of the biennial Pineapple Cup (formerly known as the Miami-Montego Bay Race). Aboard Serengeti, an exquisite 60-foot sloop owned and skippered by veteran sailor Chad Weiss and designed by naval architect Bill Tripp, things seemed to be shaping up nicely.

We’d bolted across the Gulf Stream in bumpy but blistering fashion and had already put the Bahamian waypoints of Great Isaac and the Berry Islands astern. Now all we had to do was round the north end of Eleuthera island, hoist one of Serengeti’s big kites, and ride the steady, 20-knot-plus northerly south with all dispatch. Forecasters predicted the potential record-setting conditions would hold for several days. Serengeti was sitting pretty.

It took but a split second for it all to unravel.

Regular Serengeti crewmember Joe Nanartowich was at one of the yacht’s twin wheels when he heard “a little ching.” The boat rounded up instantly, and instinctively, Nanartowich swung the helm down hard to correct his course. But the spokes spun round and round like TV’s Wheel of Fortune, and Serengeti’s ensuing “auto-tack” and wipeout were nothing less than spectacular.

In every sailor’s life there’s a first time for everything, and I count myself extremely fortunate that my first lost rudder at sea was experienced aboard a well-equipped oceangoing sailboat with a highly skilled team ready for anything. So, despite the fact that our promising race was finished, not all our luck was bad. Indeed, the rudder vanished in the deep, unobstructed waters of Northeast Providence Channel, not along the lee shore of a coral-fringed island (which would have been the case a couple of hours later). And among the crew was Bill Tripp himself, ready and willing to tackle the question any sailor in such a predicament would ask: “Now what in the world would the designer do?”

But I’m getting ahead of the story.

Fast Break from Florida Built in New Zealand at Marten Marine of a composite blend of aramid and E-glass over a PVC core, Serengeti is a high-tech sailboat sporting a lifting keel and carbon rig, items that have served her well in such offshore races as Newport-Bermuda. But she’s also a true dual-purpose boat, with a handsome, functional interior laid out for the family cruising and occasional living aboard that owner Weiss also enjoys.

When we left Florida, however, the boat was in full racing mode, her saloon stacked end to end with spinnakers and headsails, her crew a dozen strong. With temperatures in the 60s F, it was no beach day in Fort Lauderdale, but we weren’t headed to the beach. Instead, the Gulf Stream beckoned, its western edge a good 15 to 18 miles offshore. With a full main and jib, we made quick work of that and were soon bounding across the roiling, rollicking Stream.

Scrawling notes in my sodden notebook, I recorded the usual early-race mayhem: a couple of headsail changes; a brief, regrettable attempt at flying a spinnaker; back to a small jib and a reefed main. It was my first trip aboard Serengeti, but the consensus among the regulars was unanimous–cranking along at anywhere from 12 to 15 knots, we were hauling the mail. I was perched forward on the weather rail, and it was a wet ride; we occasionally shipped some solid water. My world was especially rocked by one hurtful wave that very literally knocked the wind out of me, another first (and I hope a last).

I went off watch at dusk and was back on at midnight. Overhead, the thick sky was beginning to break up, and the odd star began to shine through. The worst of it was behind us. But the sailing was still very challenging, with the wind shifting steadily through 25 degrees in the lulls and the puffs, and it was imperative that the mainsheet trimmer and driver work closely together. I handled the main for a while and Tripp steered, and we began to sense what the other was about to do without speaking. In the big gusts, I eased the main way off as Bill bore away; once or twice I even had to press the “panic button” that blows the hydraulic boom vang to keep us on our feet. After a bit, it occurred to me that I was thoroughly enjoying myself.

At 0300, the watches changed again. Twenty minutes later, I was down below chatting with seasoned navigator Jack Harvey–who’d done the race at least eight times (that he’ll admit to) and could never remember not beating out through the Bahamas–when suddenly we heard Nanartowich cry, “No helm!” Serengeti’s swift race turned into something altogether different.

Detour to Nassau Chad Weiss was forward trying to snatch some sleep, and Bill Tripp was aft discussing strategy when we lost steerage. Since the “ching” we’d all heard didn’t sound catastrophic, they thought–as did I–that something was remiss with the steering quadrant, possibly a snapped line or a broken block that could easily be jury-rigged or repaired. But upon inspection, it was discovered that the carbon rudderstock had broken free and clear precisely where it exits the hull, carrying the attached blade with it. Happily, we didn’t take on even a spoonful of water.

Navigator Harvey instantly noted our position and quickly assessed our immediate options. And there was Nassau, 40 miles south, dead downwind. All we had to do was get there. There was no shortage of opinions on how that task might best be executed.

Owing to her New Zealand heritage, Serengeti carried an unusual drogue called a Sea Claw from Coppins Sea Anchors (www.paraseaanchor. com), a Kiwi company specializing in emergency gear. It was immediately deployed and for most of the time did a reasonable, though not exceptional, job of keeping the stern to the wind and seas. The main had been dropped immediately after the incident, but someone came up with the idea of hoisting the storm jib to give us some speed and also to counteract the cork-screw effect the drogue had on the stern.

This proved to be a stroke of genius. Not only did this boost our boat speed to a solid 3 knots; the tiny sail also kept us more or less directly on course for Nassau. Every time the bow came into the breeze, the sheeted-home jib would back and send the boat into a controlled jibe. Once on the new board, the sail would fill, and the boat would accelerate until the bow again wandered toward the wind, whereupon the whole process would repeat itself. In this manner, pivoting around its nearly 14-foot keel and slaloming down a heading that wandered through about 30 degrees, Serengeti held an average course straight toward Nassau.

It was a good thing, too. In a call to BASRA, the all-volunteer Bahamas Air and Sea Rescue Association, we learned that even the cruise ships were weather-bound in Nassau. While the BASRA folks were sympathetic to our plight, they didn’t have the resources to lend assistance but asked to be kept apprised of our progress. And a commercial-towing outfit quoted a figure of $10,000 for a lift home. While it was clear we wouldn’t be able to sail right up to a dock, we’d be on our own until just outside Nassau. As Bill Tripp said in a sat-phone call to the authorities, “We’re getting there OK, but we’re going to need someone to catch us once we’re there.”

Sailmaker Mark Ploch reckoned, correctly, that with more speed, we’d have better control, so by midafternoon we’d swapped the storm jib for the No. 4 headsail. Instantly, we were making 6 knots. But the faster speeds proved too much for the drogue, which at 3 knots stayed submerged and provided the necessary drag to maintain course but skipped and planed atop the following waves at anything quicker. And once the drogue was clear of the drink, Serengeti instantly sprang up toward the breeze. (The position of the drogue was also critical to the overall exercise, particularly because the waves were so close together. After a lot of trial and error, it became clear that the device worked best when streaming about 100 feet aft.) We tried trailing sheets and lines aft to induce more drag, but their effect was minimal. Reluctantly, down came the No. 4 and back up went the storm jib.

Late in the afternoon, off Nassau, we rendezvoused with a kind soul in a Mako-type runabout of about 22 feet powered by a 100-horsepower outboard. We used a stretchy anchor rode as a tow line, which in retrospect wasn’t ideal. Skipper Weiss was stationed by the throttle with the engine slowly turning over: “The anchor line was like a big rubber band,” he said later. “Without the jib up, it was very hard to keep the bow down, so when it swung in its maximum arc, I’d put some reverse on to compensate. We’d get a little pull, and it’d whip the boat from one direction to the other. A line with less stretch would’ve worked better. And it was probably way too long. We kept making it shorter and shorter to reduce the bouncing action–the shorter, the better.”

It was slightly hairy negotiating the harbor entrance, but by sundown, we were alongside a dock and thinking about refreshments. Serengeti, sans rudder, was ready for the next chapter. The torn, trashed drogue didn’t fare as well, though it would’ve been a struggle to reach Nassau without it.

Designer’s Postmortem When it was all over, I asked Bill Tripp what he’d learned. His answers were insightful. “I’d never needed a drogue before and now realize how important they can be,” he said.

“The drogue we had wouldn’t stay submerged when we were going fast enough. That was a real problem, a double-edged sword. Because you need the sails to steer, and the sails make you go fast, we had to put on as little sail as possible and not have the boat go more than 4 knots. Our drogue popped out of the water at 3.5 knots. We needed one that worked at 6 knots. When you have a following sea, speed is better than no speed. The less speed you have, the more the waves are throwing the boat around.”

In the aftermath, one of the designers in Tripp’s office tested a number of drogues on The Solent, in England. In the future, Tripp plans on specifying drogues for his new designs and will also incorporate fold-down padeyes aft so there’s a ready place from which to deploy them. “We needed a drogue that wasn’t so dependent on being full, which isn’t a bagful of water,” he said. “The kind you want looks like a huge net–it has a big circle and huge webbing and looks like a cone. It doesn’t have an open/close aspect to it like the one we had. And we didn’t know that. In smooth water, I think the Sea Claw would work well. But it had that aspect where, if you changed half a wavelength on it, suddenly it would surf, and when it surfed, it collapsed. And once you were going 4 knots with it collapsed, it wouldn’t fill again.”

All in all, Tripp described the incident as an eye-opening experience. “In the design process, you can’t imitate a boat without a rudder. It isn’t possible,” he said. “I’ve done all the Newport-Bermuda Race tests where you have to prove you have emergency steering, and you do that by lashing the wheel and then dragging a spinnaker pole back and forth [off the transom]. And you can do that in flat water; it works fine. Out at sea, it doesn’t, particularly if you have to go dead downwind. If you want to set the boat up on a reach or even go upwind, you can do both by trimming the sails, but downwind is the hard one. Because the waves just take the stern and pick your course.”

Tripp, however, was confident that had we been outside Eleuthera in the open Atlantic when the rudder vanished, a high-performance boat like Serengeti would’ve fared well. “I think with a double-reefed main, we could’ve climbed up on the breeze,” he said. “We would’ve sailed the boat by trimming and dumping the mainsail, the old dinghy thing. The disadvantage of a boat like this is that when it breaks its rudder, it’s like a dinghy. On the other hand, the advantage is you can sail it like a dinghy.

“Anyway,” he concluded, “it was certainly an adventure. I wish it hadn’t happened, but since it did, I was glad I was there.”

Epilogue It turned out that it wasn’t a case of whether Serengeti’s rudder would fail or not–it was inevitable–but when it would happen. When the boat was loaded onto a barge to begin its journey from New Zealand to the States two years ago, its rudder clipped the deck due to a problem with uneven hoisting straps. For a variety of reasons, it wasn’t inspected at the time. But the shattered remnants of the carbon post revealed what Weiss called “a catastrophic failure.” There was evidence that the stock had been wearing away ever since the boat was launched.

Even so, within a few weeks Serengeti was fitted with a new appendage and sailed on to Antigua, where in late April she competed in Sailing Week. But in mid-May, the boat suffered major damage to her hull and rig after being struck by a cruise ship while anchored in St. George’s Harbour, Bermuda.

As for the Pineapple Cup, the strong northerlies held on, and nine of the 16 competing yachts beat the old race record of 2 days, 23 hours, with the victorious 75-foot Titan 12 taking over 12 hours off the mark in posting a new record of 2 days, 10 hours, and change. By all accounts, it was a helluva ride.

Then again, so was ours.

Herb McCormick is CW’s editor.

• More: voyaging
• More Uncategorized

Schooner Nina Missing

Editor’s Log: Pitch In for the Plankton

West Marine Announces $40,000 Marine Conservation Grants for 2013

10 Best Sailing Movies of All Time

Kirsten Neuschäfer Receives CCA Blue Water Medal

2024 Regata del Sol al Sol Registration Closing Soon

US Sailing Honors Bob Johnstone

• Digital Edition
• Customer Service
• Privacy Policy
• Email Newsletters
• Cruising World
• Sailing World
• Salt Water Sportsman
• Sport Fishing
• Wakeboarding

• Forum Listing
• Marketplace
• Advanced Search
• All Topics Sailing
• General Sailing Discussions
• SailNet is a forum community dedicated to Sailing enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about sailing, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, repairs, reviews, maintenance, and more!

Steering Without A Rudder

• Add to quote

I recently viewed Giu's video on steering without a rudder. And yes, I realize that there is a thread devoted to comments on these videos. This is not directly a comment on his video as much as a follow up question. I hope he returns soon so that he might elaborate for me. I'm not sure that the video shouldn't be called sailing without a wheel or tiller. The techniques that were employed in the video didn't work for me. I was on a boat in the not too distant past that actually lost its rudder . I gotta tell you. There was no steering that boat. We were on a broad reach with only the Genoa flying and fighting a good amount of weather helm . Anyway, all of a sudden the wheel went dead in my hands. The boat came about twice before I could even get the Genoa rolled up. I looked aft and saw; about 100 yards astern a bottom painted blue oval shape bobbing in the seas. I know that I should have tried to balance things out by setting some main and reefing the headsail, but it was blowing 25 to 30 knots and the wheel was manageable. Once the rudder fell off, there seemed to be nothing I could do to keep that boat from heading up. I don't think I would have had the same experience with a full keel boat as opposed to a fin keel. The loss of the rudder on this boat just seemed to prevent it from being able to go through the water in anything that approached a straight line. You should have seen the fiasco of being towed into Coinjock. It was too rough to hip-tow until we got out of open water so the poor guy had to fight this 40+ foot boat swinging back and forth up to 120%. It took over 2 hours to be towed three miles. I don't really know if there is anything that one could do except maybe use the main salon table as a makeshift rudder. I tried dragging warps, putting up sail, nothing worked to be able to control the course of that boat. Anyone have any Ideas? Alex?  

Knothead- Flying only a genny should give you lee helm, not weather helm as a general rule. Of course, losing the rudder moves the center of lateral resistance forward, since the rudder is a large portion of the underwater lateral plane on a fin keeled boat. Towing a drogue, with more resistance than plain warps, from a bridle would have probably allowed you to keep the boat on a relatively straight course.  

sailingdog said: Knothead-Flying only a genny should give you lee helm, not weather helm as a general rule. Click to expand...

Zanshin said: I had a similar experience with a lost rudder and found my fin-keeled 43 foot boat to be unmanageable. I had a longer tow from a twin engined powerful boat and even though I deployed pretty much every warp, bucket and drag-producing device off the stern I was still going through at least 120 degrees and we had a tow bridle set up. I think that there is a HUGE difference between steering a fin-keeled boat without using the rudder and steering the same fin-keeled boat that is missing the rudder. The surface area of the rudder is quite large compared to the surface area of the fin keel rudder and the two are separated by just a bit less than half the hull length. Having both lateral surfaces gives a lot of directional stability, whereas if the rudder aft is missing then the fin keel acts like more of a pivot than anything else. Click to expand...

I have always wondered, that if you were towing a dinghy and you lost your rudder, if you attached an anchor to the dingy and put it out to say 20 feet. If that would be enough drag at the stern to allow use of sails and mover the lateral plane...  

How doe one find out about a rudder construction on a sailboat that is not manufactured anymore?  

I had a similar experience with a lost rudder and found my fin-keeled 43 foot boat to be unmanageable. I had a longer tow from a twin engined powerful boat and even though I deployed pretty much every warp, bucket and drag-producing device off the stern I was still going through at least 120 degrees and we had a tow bridle set up. I think that there is a HUGE difference between steering a fin-keeled boat without using the rudder and steering the same fin-keeled boat that is missing the rudder. The surface area of the rudder is quite large compared to the surface area of the fin keel rudder and the two are separated by just a bit less than half the hull length. Having both lateral surfaces gives a lot of directional stability, whereas if the rudder aft is missing then the fin keel acts like more of a pivot than anything else.  

Knothead- What kind of boat was this??? If the rudder was large enough and the keel small enough in area, the CLR could have shifted forward enough that a large genny would give weather helm. That would probably be the case on Gui's boat if he lost his rudder, since the fin keel on his boat is really just a thin strut supporting a bulb...rather than a keel with any real surface area.  

Last time I heard this being bounced around, the consensus seemed to be that the best jerry-rig would be to use a spinnaker or whisker pole with some large u-bolts (kept for that purpose) to affix a door or table (pre-drilled) to the end of the pole, and then using that "steering board" deployed from the stern, so the board was as far aft of the boat as possible in order to get more leverage against the pivoting on the keel. Apparently a lot depends on the hull shape and stability and balance, or lack thereof. A boat that balances well and steers well under just sail trim (with no rudder effort) should do better than one which always needs some rudder. But I don't think I know anyone who would be willing to drop their rudder and then go out for practice.[g]  

If the incident had occurred offshore somewhere, I would have definitely started drilling holes in the table but It was easier to call for a tow where we were. It does seem like a good idea to be prepared to lose a rudder. U-bolts are cheap and I guess you could stick a candle in the holes in the table. But it seem to me that having some steel in your rudder post would be a pretty good idea too. Frankly though, I think it would be a lot easier to rig a jury rudder on a full keel boat.  

In the current issue of Sail (I just got it in the mail yesterday), there is a story about a boat racing in the Cleveland Race Week on Lake Erie that lost its rudder and eventually sank while being towed to shore. The rudder post hole could not be plugged and it filled the bilge and the cockpit faster than the pump could pump it out. Moral of the story was to check the rudder before putting the boat in the water in the spring.  

Ouch, that's one I hadn't thought of. With a wheel rather than tiller, the rudder post will be an open thru-hull if the rudder falls out, rather than shearing below the hull. I suppose that means a rather large damage control plug should be kept back in there, with provision to get a collision mat rigged under the boat in order to really close it off in case a piece of hull goes with it. I guess "cushions" for a Real Boat really should have multiple grommets sewn into them, so they could readily be used for that purpose. Sure would puzzle the sailmaker when you bring in your CUSHIONS and say "put a one inch grommet in each corner, with reinforcing." Break Out Another Thousand...  

• ?            
• 173.8K members

Top Contributors this Month

• Mar 12, 2024 Blue Water Medal Presented to Kirsten Neuschäfer as CCA Honors Top 2023 Ocean Sailors
• Mar 11, 2024 Commodore’s Awards to Hamilton, McCurdy, and the Greens
• Hide Banner
• Member Login

A Guide to Steering without a Rudder 

A Guide to Steering without a Rudder  

Methods and Equipment Tested  

Michael Keyworth  

This  guide is  the result of multip le tests conducted in the fall of 2013 off of Newport, RI .  The test vessel was  a modified MK I Swan 44 ,   Chasseur .  The purpose of the tests was to determine  the best method and equipment to effectively steer the vessel to a safe port in the event of catastrophic rudder failure. The goal was to utilize the equipment normally taken on the vessel on offshore passages or races. The overriding premise was; utilization of an efficient and controllable object to create drag and transmit to directional stability which results in the desired directional stability. It was my view that a drogue might be used to exert the appropriate drag. I further felt that a small drogue might provide the needed drag but not significantly impede the speed of the vessel.  

 Chasseur has been modified in the following relevant ways; the rudder skeg was removed and  replaced with  a modern spade rudder which is carbon fiber with a Carbon fiber shaft, the keel has been modified to a modern shape fin with a shoe, the mast is carbon fiber and 6 feet taller than original. For the purposes of the tests, the rudder was removed and the rudder port was blocked off.  

I was familiar with and had onboard  Chasseur  a “ Galerider ” made by Hathaway,  Reiser  & Raymond of Stamford, Connecticut. I contacted Wes Oliver at Hathaway and he arranged to make several prototype drogues for the tests. We were equipped with: a 12inch diameter drogue with a 3 part bridle, a 12inch diameter drogue with a 4 part bridle, a 18 inch diameter drogue with a 4 part bridle, a 30 inch drogue with a 4 part bridle and a 36 inch drogue with a 4 part bridle.  

The purpose of the test was  to establish whether  direction could be controlled  under the following “underway” conditions  using any of the drogues supplied:  

 W ith sail trim alone  

M otoring using a drogue  

S ailing upwind using a drogue  

S ailing downwind using a drogue  

M otorsailing using a drogue  

B eing towed using a drogue  

Size of drogue proved to be very i mportant. The findings were definitive:  

The two 12 -  inch drogues provided no directional stability.  

The 18 -  inch drogue provided marginal control in winds under 10 knots  

The 30 -  inch drogue was very effective in all conditions that were tested and resulted in approximately 1 knot reduction in boat spe ed. In wind conditions over 20 knots of windspeed  a chain pennant needed to be added to reduce cavitation.  

The 36 -  inch drogue worked similarly to the 30 inch drogue but affected boat speed by approximately 1 ½ knot s .  

Rigging  

Two spinnaker sheets were used.  I believe that spinnaker sheets are appropriate as they are generally sized based on length of boat.  The sheets were led as two sides  of a bridle  (port and starboard) from amidships  snatch blocks, thru amidships chock or similar  and clipped into the  swivel at the  lead for the drogue. The tails were lead aft to the primaries in the cockpit.  It is important to rig this so as to provoke the least amount of chafe as these lines will become your steering cables. We found that the leads need to be led to the axis of the keel as the boat will rotate on the keel. This point is probably somewhere near amidships .   Note: The  afterguy  block may be ideal for the bridle lead.  

 Some prior guidance suggested that a lead to the quarters of the transom is the best. Our findings are that this restricts the transom from swinging, therefore preventing the desired change in course.   

Fig 1 (bridle set up)  

During rough  and/or windy  conditions it may be necessary to add weight to the d rogue to keep it from cavitating . Using the concept of being limited to equipment that is already on board, we were able to use various lengths of chain attached to the swivel at the lead for the drogue. At the other end we effectively used a spare swivel shackle and attached one end to the forward end of chain and the other to the bridle from the boat.  It is important to have swivels at both ends as the drogue will tend to rotate as it is pulled along. The bridle may get twisted up but this does not seem to affect the control. During our tests the length of “scope” of the bridle/drogue did not seem important. The nominal distance aft from the transom varied from 50 feet to 120 feet.  It may be necessary to add scope in extreme conditions.   I found that reference of the drogues position was valuable information. I whipped colored marks at 10 foot intervals on  both spin sheet/bridle  which gave a quick  reference;  this could be done with tape or magic marker.   

Findings  

Controlling direction with sail trim alone :   Not Possible!!!  

Control direction while motoring using a drogue -  This is the easiest scenario. A wide range of control is available. This can be done with only one person, easily. While testing we were able to execute  multiple  360   degree turns with full control. Doing 5.5 knots a full 360 can be executed in 4-4 ½ boat lengths. While motoring, adjustments of 2-3  inches results in 5-10 degree course change.  

Controlling direction while sailing upwind using a drogue -  The same principals apply except that there needs to be cooperation between the sail trimmers and the “helmsperson” (bridle trimmer) . In this scenario the main must be up, even if reefed, the jib may be overlapping, but more con trol may be achieved with a non- overlapping jib. Tacking takes coordination but, once you get the hang of it, no problem- -  traveler up, back the jib and come on to the new tack. We were able to achieve 30-35 degrees apparent  sail angle . In large seas wider angles should be expected.  

Controlling direction while  sailing downwind using a drogue:    When the wind is aft of 90 degrees apparent  it is necessary to take the mainsail down and sail under Jib alone. It will be necessary to have an attentive jib trimmer in addition to a helmsperson on the drogue controls. The size of the jib will have to be factored in based on wind and sea conditions. We also found that the deeper the angle the harder it was to have fine  control of direction. Jibing is pretty straightforward by easing the jib and rotating the drogue.  

Controlling direction while motorsailing using a drogue-   The same principals apply as in sections on upwind and downwind sailing.  

Controlling direction while being towed using a drogue-   This test, I felt was important because most successful results of rudder loss has a component of a tow of great and small distances to a safe harbor.  In this situation we were towed by a 27’ Protector with two  250 HP outboards. A towing bridle was made up on  Chasseur  and attached to the tow line from the Protector. At 3 Knots the bow was swinging from port to starboard to the end of the tether. At 4 knots it was very difficult to stand on the foredeck. We deployed the 30 inch drogue as rigged for sailing and motoring. The results were immediate. Towing at 7 knots was comfortable and straight, requiring very little input from the helmsperson.  

This is an important finding as it suggests that a drogue should be carried at all times so that assistance can be rendered safely, even inshore.  

Additional Findings/ FAQ s  

If you lose your rudder- first confirm that the rudder port is not leaking- if it is you must first deal with the flooding issue. Once the flooding issue is stabilized move on to the next step of getting home or assistance.  

Communicate with Race Officials if you are racing  and/ or with those onshore who will worry about your situation.   

Communicate with vessels  nearby if in need of immediate help away from a lee shore or collision avoidance in shipping lanes.  

Choose your safe harbor destination based on wind direction predictions, ease of access, proximity, repair facilities, etc. Do not feel that you need to en d at  the original destination port.  

If you lose your rudder, it is likely that you either hit a submerged object or that the conditions were severe. Remember that you have time. Relax, storms don’t usually last more than a cou ple of days. Deploy your drogue or  sea anchor and get some rest.  

Each time that we went testing we learned something  new . Don’t be afraid to try  something  that you think might help,  i.e.   longer  scope, move lead of bridle forward or aft,  larger/smaller jib, reef/no reef , etc .  

An unanswered question is how a drogue will work with different types/styles  and underbodies than  Chasseur.  My personal view is that a drogue will be an effective tool to have on any type of boat and its deployment can be adapted to the type of vessel that uses it.  

Offshore you will have room to  maneuver. Take your time and don’t stress ab out steering an accurate course.   

The engine is your f riend. You will find that using  engine  power  will provide the greatest degree of control- speed and direction. Use the engine to deploy sails, to get rest, or to retrieve the drogue- retrieval is easiest when the boat is stopped.  Be careful to not tangle the bridle in the prop. This was never a problem during our trials. This was probably  because;  towards the end of trials we used a 5 f oo t chain pennant to help the drogue from cavitating.  The chain component is an important one. I chose the use of chain to weight the drogue because ISAF Offshore Prescriptions require that an anchor with appropriate ground tackle be carried, so it need not be carried as additional gear . Others venturing offshore tend to take ample ground tackle to accommodate the use for other purposes. On a practical matter, I think that it makes sense to have different lengths of chain for required circumstances. It  also  makes sense that a longer chain can be made shorter using the rig cut away tools as required by the rule.  A shorter chain can be made longer using shackles to join shorter lengths.  

How heavy is the  Galerider ? A standard 30 - inch drogue weighs in at 9 pounds  and is stored in a bag that is 15 inches in diameter and 5 inches thick. The standard 36 - inch drogue weighs 13.2 pounds  and stores in a bag that is 18 inches in diameter and 4 inches thick.  

One of the difficulties that you wi ll face to  determine where the helmsperson is stat ioned  and  has  access to heading or a compass. Something that you may want to consider, as you equip for an offshore passage is the purchase of a backup compass which can be remotely mounted. Boats equipped with modern electronic packages may have the option of display of heading for both helmsperson and trimmer/s .  

It would be prudent for any offshore sailor to practice the depl oyment of a drogue for speed reduction sailing downwind in large seas  and to rig and use as a means of steering. This would help to identify the gear necessary to deploy and provide a ready plan to implement if necessary.  

The  transition from drogue to drogue steering  or vise versa may be easier than you think.  

A trick that we learned  is that you can cleat off one of the bridle lines and have control with the other. If you were to cleat off the port bridle line a turn to port would result from easing the starboard bridle and a subsequent change to starboard would result from trimming the starboard bridle. This lazy mans approach gives  the helmsperson more flexibility and physical relief.  

What I learned from the extensive testing is that you can achieve a great deal of control using a drogue . I would bet that if any boat  is able to sail 100+ miles wit hout a rudder to a safe port ,  the crew  will want to take a victory lap around the harbor to “show off” the newfound skill  and seamanship ability .  

One last thought. Having sailed over 150,000 miles at sea I have seen many things and have been able to overcome all  sorts of  adverse conditions, I still have many concerns and reservations. One concern is that of  rudder loss and how to deal with that possibility. This test should help all who go to sea with that possibility. The other concern that haunts me each time I go to sea is the amount of floating debris and other objects that may affect the ability of even the most seamanlike sailor to safely passage from place to place.  The possibility of being holed or sunk from collisions with floating debris is real.  Most of the stories I  have  hear d  about boats at sea that have become rudderless have resulted in the abandonment of those vessels. These abandoned vessels represent a threat to those fellow sailors who put to sea and put them unnecessarily at risk.  

Similar Subject

• Suggested List of Tools and Spares

Recent Articles

Can You Sail Without a Rudder?

Have you ever wondered if it’s possible to sail without a rudder? The answer is yes, it is.

Sailing without a rudder may seem like an impossible task, but it’s actually a technique that has been used for centuries. In fact, sailors in ancient times sailed their boats using the wind and their own instincts without any navigational instruments.

The key to sailing without a rudder is understanding how the wind and the boat interact with each other. Instead of relying on a rudder to steer the boat, sailors use their sails to control their direction.

Here are some tips on how to sail without a rudder:

1. Adjust your sails

The first step in sailing without a rudder is adjusting your sails. You need to position them in such a way that they catch the wind and propel your boat forward. By adjusting the angle of your sails, you can also control your boat’s direction.

2. Use your body weight

Another way to steer your boat without a rudder is by using your body weight. If you want to turn left, move your weight to the right side of the boat. If you want to turn right, move your weight to the left side of the boat.

3. Tack and jibe

Tacking and jibing are two techniques that sailors use to change direction without using a rudder. Tacking involves turning into the wind while jibing involves turning away from it.

4. Use other means of steering

If you don’t have a rudder, you can still use other means of steering such as oars or paddles. These can help you maneuver your boat in tight spots or when there isn’t enough wind.

While sailing without a rudder may seem daunting at first, with practice and experience it can become second nature. It’s important to remember that sailing is all about understanding how the wind and water interact with each other and using that knowledge to your advantage.

6 Related Question Answers Found

How do you sail without a rudder, can you sail without sails, can you sail a boat without a sail, can you sail a sailboat without a motor, can you use a sailboat without a sail, can you use a sailboat without the sail.

Michael Allen

• Yachting World
• Digital Edition

Rudder failure – 1,500 miles to sail across the Atlantic without a rudder

• December 23, 2015

When the rudder of his 39-footer broke in mid-Atlantic Patrick Marshall set up a jury rig, with the support and advice of a radio net, and sailed 1,500 miles to the Caribbean

By midday the next morning we were heading direct for Barbados, 1,950 nautical miles away, with full main and the cruising chute set under a blue sky with just a few puffy clouds. That evening, while swapping the chute for a poled-out genoa, a large pod of dolphins came alongside and started performing antics for our entertainment.

Magellan Net

As usual, we took part in the evening Magellan Net over the SSB radio. This informal ‘sked’ was hosted by Fatty Goodlander, an entertaining US yachting writer whom we’d first met in Lanzarote and who was crossing the Atlantic in Wild Card on the final leg of a circumnavigation.

Any boat could report their position and talk about the important matters of the day, such as the quantity and size of fish caught or the sighting of whales. The morning net was more formal, with a roll call of all boats at sea, each giving their position, course, distance to go and wind and sea state. We were in contact with about 25 boats strung out across the Atlantic, with a few more already in the Caribbean and a dozen still in the Canaries or Cape Verdes.

Poled out staysail and genoa

On the fourth day, with freshening winds, we decided it was time to try our new tradewind rig: the genoa poled out on one side and a long-footed staysail poled out the other. We were delighted to find that the arrangement worked perfectly and Egret flew down the rhumbline, rock steady, at about seven knots. That evening we celebrated 1,500 miles to go to Barbados.

The joy of surfing down waves under a full moon ended abruptly with a metallic grating noise from below and the flogging of sails above as Egret lurched and careered off course. We thought at first that the autopilot had malfunctioned, but we couldn’t get her back under control so we hurriedly furled the sails and lay ahull to assess the situation.

Our next theory was that the linkage between the rudder shaft and wheel had failed, but when the emergency tiller fitted to the top of the shaft couldn’t steer either, we knew the problem was below the waterline.

The rudder’s gone!

Concerned that the force required to break the rudder could also have damaged the hull, we checked the bilge for water and inspected the area where the shaft penetrates the hull and were relieved to find nothing untoward.

By now it was daybreak, so we decided to have breakfast and a rest until 0900, when we would be able to report our predicament to the Magellan Net. At the start of the net the controller called for priority traffic. I piped up with the problem of our lost rudder. The response from other crews was encouraging, and the consensus was that we should deploy a drogue astern to steer the boat. Fatty immediately came up with detailed instructions on how to improvise one. We were asked to radio in every two hours.

Adapting their ideas to suit what we had on board, we made a drogue comprising an 8m rope bridle attached to the stern mooring cleats, followed in succession by a 12m warp, 4m of chain, our Bruce kedge anchor with a fender attached, a 4m warp, a fender, another 4m warp and fender, 4m of chain and a final fender. The total length of the drogue would have been about 32m.

Two 25m lines were shackled to the first chain and led to port and starboard through snatch blocks at the midships mooring cleats, then back to cockpit winches. These could be adjusted to maintain a straight course, and also, by pulling hard on one or the other, to tack or gybe.

Used for the drogue 3x         13m x 18mm dia warps window._taboolaSlots=window._taboolaSlots||[];window._taboolaSlots.push({"mode":"thumbnails-a-mid","container":"taboola-mid-article","placement":"Mid Article","target_type":"mix"}); 2x         5m x 14mm warp 2x         25m x 12mm steering lines (actually, our spinnaker sheets) 2x         4m lengths anchor chain 1x         15kg Bruce anchor 2x         blocks (lashed to midships cleats for steering lines) 4x         fenders

The next problem was to get Egret to sail downwind as opposed to her natural tendency to round up. The best she would do with a small headsail set was to sail on a beam reach, but eventually we got her to bear away to about 120° off the wind by setting a staysail to leeward and a small area of genoa hauled out to windward. We knew then that we would be able to get more or less where we wanted – eventually.

The wind and sea had been building all day, making work on deck quite demanding, but we had everything under control by the time we reported in to the evening net. John of Mary Anne II announced that they were sailing towards us to assist if required. Exhaustion helped us to sleep tolerably well during our off watches that night, and it was a huge relief to see a sail appear over the horizon early next morning.

Mary Anne II stayed in close proximity for the next 48 hours as winds continued unabated at 24 to 30 knots with confused 4m waves. We had been heading west-north-west, but the GRIB files suggested the weather would be kinder further south, so on the second morning we succeeded, at the third attempt, in gybing and heading south-south-west.

Sweden Yachts ride well to the seas, the cockpit was almost dry and the motion down below quite reasonable, so we were content to sit it out and rest until conditions improved. We were more concerned about Mary Anne II , especially as John had told us that green seas were regularly sweeping her decks and they had to keep changing between sailing and heaving to, to keep down to our speed.

Eventually we persuaded him that it would be safe for them to leave us and continue on their way.

A small piece of rudder intact

We had some good news after further examining the steering system when we detected a small amount of feel through the wheel. This could only mean that there was still a piece of the rudder intact, which would greatly assist steering once the weather calmed down.

Sweden Yachts rudders are supported by two ball-bearing races inside the hull and an external bronze shoe about a fifth of the way down the blade. The stainless steel shaft and tangs embedded into the glassfibre moulding are massively strong above the shoe, but somewhat less so below, designed so that the rudder would snap off under impact without damaging the housing or hull above – a not infrequent cause of total loss by sinking. It was reassuring to learn that the mode of failure had been exactly as designed.

During the next morning net, Peter of Norna told us that he had consulted ‘Herb’ – the legendary Atlantic weather forecaster – and received the advice that we should head south, a huge relief and confirmation of our tactics. Several boats astern asked if we needed anything, so we asked for more diesel, just in case we had to do a lot of motoring later.

First Awaroa kindly diverted to pass close by us, then Tsolo , but in both cases we had to abort a transfer owing to the conditions. By the sixth morning, wind and sea had eased sufficiently for us to set two small headsails poled-out and, at long last, we were able to point the bows directly at the Caribbean, 1,200 miles away.

• 1. Magellan Net
• 2. Back on course
• 3. Approaching land

Do Sailboats Have Rudders? (All You Need to Know)

Categories Sailing

Those who love adventures in water and sailing know about sailboats. Sailboats are vessels that run on wind power. And its controlling mechanism falls upon the rudder of the boat.

Do sailboats have rudders?

Sailboats do have rudders. The use of wind power to sail is the main feature of a sailboat. And the steering equipment that helps in making turns is the rudder. It is an underwater blade that works using a lever. This blade functions by creating unequal pressure of water.

Table of Contents

What is a rudder on a sailboat?

The rudder on a sailboat helps in its steering. It determines the direction of turns of your boat.

The rudder attaches to the rear end of your boat. It is basically a blade that remains under the water. This blade has to be controlled by a lever on the boat.

The lever which controls the rudder of a boat is known as the helm or tiller. The size of the rudder depends upon the size of your boat.

In small boats, you have to operate the helm manually. In big boats, the controlling lever is heavy and not controlled manually.

The rudder deflects the flow of water under the boat. When you move it in any direction, low and high pressure produces on both sides of it.

The direction in which the movement of the rudder creates low pressure moves in that direction.  And this is how your sailboat takes a turn.

A sailboat is the kind of boat that sails with the aid of wind power. The sail in a sailboat is the structure that propels your boat. Other than the sail, you will need a rudder to operate your sailboat.

Rudders are the structure that controls the flow of direction of a ship or a boat. A sailboat has a rudder. It facilitates your boat to sail properly. Even if you want to navigate straight, it will help to keep your boat straight.

The purpose of a rudder in a ship is in its steering. There are various kinds of rudders. You have to choose your rudder according to the need of your vessel.

Moreover, the movement of the rudder moves the head of the boat in the same direction. The unequal pressure of water and its effects are in use to make turns. The lower pressure is the direction in which the rudder moves.

Types of rudders on sailboats 

Rudders come in different shapes and sizes. For use in sailboats, there are mainly four types of rudders. These four types then also come in various variations. The four types of rudders for sailboats are:

Full rudders or full keel rudders:

This design provides more stability and firmness to your boat rather than speed.  They are durable and resistant to various harms.

This rudder structure seems like a part of the keel. It runs all along the hull of your boat and keeps it straight and moving with ease.

It is useful both on and offshore. It maintains stability in rough water and does not even damage during grounding.

These rudders are not much in use nowadays. Other fin structured keel rudders have become famous now. But these rudders are one of their kind for their sturdiness and function.

Outboard rudder:

These rudders attach to the stern of your boat and hang off it. It is commonly in use for smaller boats or vessels.

They do not run all along the hull of your boat. These rudders work through a manual tiller or helm.

Outboard rudders are super easy to make. They come in handy in emergencies as well. Anyone can use a piece of wood to make this rudder. They are easy to make and operate as well.

Spade rudder:

Spare rudders are modern rudders that are in use for fin keelboats. They are versatile and require less force to move in any direction.

This rudder is comparatively faster. It distributes all of its force on both sides of the rudder. That is, it does not distribute force on one side only.

Rough water and weather can affect spade rudders. Also, dirt and debris can accumulate in this rudder. Although these rudders are fast, this dirt and debris can reduce their speed as well.

But these rudders are popular nowadays. They are widely in use in modern boats. Only this rudder can meet the limitation of rudders exerting pressure on one side of the water.

Skeg rudder:

Skeg rudders are better in terms of protection and performance. These rudders make your boat fast and save it from danger.

These rudders are in wide use for the modern fin keelboats. And you have to exert more energy for turning a skeg rudder. Only one side of the boat will experience more pressure when this rudder is in use.

Skeg rudders are popular. Most fin keelboats can use skeg rudders now. Unlike full keel rudders, these rudders provide more speed and a steering mechanism.

Can you sail without a rudder?

A rudder is a crucial steering part of a boat. There have been records of instances of losing the rudder on the sea.

There are ways to sail a sailboat without a rudder. So, a sailboat can sail without a rudder. For this purpose, you will need the help of the sail trim and daggerboard.

A sailboat functions on the mechanism of the sail and wind power. Proper use of the sail and other parts can save your boat. You can sail without a rudder with the help of your mainsail, jib, and daggerboard.

A little practice on the techniques of controlling your boat and wind can help you go a long way.

How to build a sailboat rudder?

Building a sailboat rudder will require some patience and expertise. Some steps on how to build a sailboat rudder are given below:

• Step 1:  Select the material for your rudder and use a stencil or old rudder to cut the frame or template for the new rudder.
• Step 2:  Sand the exterior faces of the rudder frame and make it a little tapered.
• Step 3:  According to your chosen fiberglass, cut the covering mat according to the size of the rudder and lay it up on the rudder using resin.
• Step 4:  Then sand the rudder to patch the rough spots as necessary.
• Step 5: If there are any hardware holes, fix and cure them using epoxy. Do this for every hole, and do not leave out anything.
• Step 6: Paint your rudder according to the color of your boat.
• Step 7:  Attach the rudder to the hardware of your boat.

What is an emergency rudder? 

The emergency rudder is the rudder you use to sail your boat when you lose your rudder. It is also in use if your rudder stops functioning.

The emergency rudder is of two types. They are the get home/SOS rudder, and the other one is the racing rudder.

The SOS or get-home rudder helps you to sail to the nearest shore. This rudder comes as an extension with many boats. Or you can also DIY a rudder using a board or similar thing to make a temporary one.

The racing rudder lets you sail up to your aiming destination. These rudders help you to sail hard.

What do you do if you lose your rudder? 

If you somehow lose the rudder of your boat in the water, you can use an emergency rudder to get to the nearest shore.

Losing the rudder can make your boat unstable. Try to control the sail of your boat and use the daggerboard to control the use of wind power.

You can sail your boat using the mainsail and jib. If not, you can also make an emergency rudder using a hardboard piece of wood.

But knowing how to steer your boat without a rudder and steering it with the sails can help you go a long way. Sailors use this method of sailing to cope up with emergencies.

How do you steer a sailboat without a rudder? 

Every sailboat runs on wind power. The flow of wind helps in the sail of your boat. The mainsail of your boat and the rudder together control the flow and direction of it.

If you somehow lose your rudder, you have to take proper measures to sail your boat according to your need.

To sail rudderless, you have to adjust the positioning of the daggerboard and sail trim.

When you pull in the mainsail of a sailboat, it turns in the direction of the flow of the wind. Similarly, pushing your daggerboard will also go with the wind.

So, if you want to sail away from the wind or go against it, then you have to let out your mainsail and pull up the daggerboard.

This steering without a rudder and relying on sail and wind power needs some practice to master. But it is possible to sail without a rudder.

You have to be patient and tactful enough to handle a boat without a rudder. So stay calm and keep practicing until you master it.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Does Sailing Make You Seasick?

How Should Sailing Gloves Fit?

Why are Most Sailing Boats White?

Why are Sailboats Expensive?

• Paddle Board

What Is a Sailboat Rudder? An Overview of Its Function and Design

Sailboats have been used for thousands of years to traverse water. They have undergone many changes and improvements over the years, and one of the essential components of a sailboat is the rudder.

Quick Facts

Understanding the sailboat rudder.

The rudder is a vital component of a sailboat that plays a crucial role in steering and maneuvering the vessel. The rudder works by changing the direction of the water flow around it, which moves the boat in the opposite direction. Without a rudder, it would be impossible to navigate a sailboat effectively, especially in different water and wind conditions.

Components of a Sailboat Rudder

A sailboat rudder comprises several components, each with a unique function that contributes to the rudder’s overall effectiveness. The stock is the main vertical shaft that connects the rudder blade to the boat’s helm. It is usually made of stainless steel or aluminum alloy and is designed to withstand the forces exerted on the rudder during navigation.

The blade is the flat portion of the rudder that faces the water current and directs the water flow in the opposite direction to steer the boat. The blade is typically made of fiberglass-reinforced plastic or aluminum alloy and is designed to be lightweight and durable. Pintles and gudgeons are the two connections between the rudder and stern that allow for easy installation and removal of the rudder. Pintles are the vertical metal pins that fit into the gudgeons, which are the horizontal metal brackets attached to the boat’s stern.

Different Types of Rudders

There are several types of rudders used in sailboats, each with its advantages and disadvantages. Transom-mounted rudders are the most common type of rudder, and they are mounted on the stern of the boat. Skeg-mounted rudders are attached to a fixed fin called a skeg, which provides additional stability to the rudder.

Keel-mounted rudders are attached to the boat’s keel, which is the central structural element that runs along the bottom of the hull. Spade rudders are free-standing rudders that are not attached to any part of the boat and are commonly used in racing sailboats. The type of rudder used depends on the boat’s size, design, and intended use.

Materials Used in Rudder Construction

Rudders can be made from various materials, each with its advantages and disadvantages. Wooden rudders are the traditional choice and are still used in some sailboats today. However, they are relatively heavy and require regular maintenance to prevent rot and decay.

Aluminum alloy rudders are lightweight and durable, making them an excellent choice for racing sailboats. Stainless steel rudders are also durable but are heavier than aluminum alloy rudders. Fiberglass-reinforced plastic rudders are the most common type of rudder used today, as they are lightweight, durable, and require minimal maintenance.

The sailboat rudder is an essential component that plays a crucial role in steering and maneuvering a sailboat. Understanding the different types of rudders, their components, and the materials used in their construction can help sailors choose the right rudder for their boat and navigate more effectively in different water and wind conditions.

The Function of a Sailboat Rudder

Steering and maneuvering.

The primary function of a sailboat rudder is to steer and maneuver the boat. The rudder’s blade directing the flow of water in a specific direction allows for the steering of the boat as the blade changes direction. Sailors can use the rudder to turn the boat in any direction they choose, allowing them to navigate through narrow channels or around obstacles in the water. It is essential to note that the rudder works in conjunction with the sails to control the boat’s direction and speed.

Balancing the Sailboat

The balance of the sailboat is critical to ensure safe maneuvering, and the rudder plays a crucial role in achieving this. A balanced rudder helps in keeping the boat steady, reducing drag, and preventing unwanted turning. Sailors can adjust the rudder’s angle to keep the boat balanced and on course, especially in rough water conditions. A well-balanced rudder also helps to reduce the risk of capsizing or losing control of the boat .

Rudder Effectiveness in Different Conditions

Rudder effectiveness varies depending on the boat’s size, weight, and water and wind conditions. A larger boat may require a bigger rudder for proper maneuvering, while a smaller boat can work with a smaller rudder. Sailors must also consider the water and wind conditions when choosing the right rudder for their boat. In calm waters, a smaller rudder may be sufficient, but in rough water, a larger rudder may be necessary to maintain control of the boat. Additionally, the rudder’s effectiveness can be affected by the boat’s speed, with higher speeds requiring more significant rudders to maintain control.

It is also important to note that the rudder’s effectiveness can be impacted by external factors such as weeds or debris in the water. These factors can reduce the rudder’s ability to steer the boat and require sailors to make adjustments to maintain control. Additionally, the rudder’s effectiveness can be impacted by the sailor’s skill level, with more experienced sailors able to make more precise adjustments to the rudder to control the boat’s direction and speed.

Design Considerations for Sailboat Rudders

Sailboat rudders are an essential component of a boat’s steering and maneuvering system. A well-designed rudder can make all the difference in a boat’s performance , especially in challenging weather conditions. In this article, we will explore some of the key design considerations for sailboat rudders.

Rudder Size and Shape

The size and shape of a rudder play a crucial role in determining its effectiveness in steering and maneuvering a boat. A larger rudder provides more leverage and maneuverability, allowing the boat to turn more sharply. However, a larger rudder may also produce more drag, which can slow down the boat’s speed.

The shape of the rudder is also important. A well-designed rudder should be streamlined to reduce drag and turbulence. The thickness of the rudder should be carefully considered to ensure that it is strong enough to withstand the forces exerted on it while remaining lightweight.

Rudder Placement and Configuration

The placement of the rudder on the boat can significantly affect its performance. A rudder that is too far forward can cause the boat to become unstable, while a rudder that is too far aft can make it difficult to steer. The location of the rudder must also take into account factors such as the propeller’s placement and the boat’s shape.

The configuration of the rudder can also determine its effectiveness and balance. A single rudder is the most common configuration, but some boats have twin rudders to provide more steering control. The angle of the rudder blade can also be adjusted to optimize its performance.

Hydrodynamic and Aerodynamic Factors

The design of a rudder must take into consideration the hydrodynamic and aerodynamic factors affecting the boat’s performance. Hydrodynamic factors include water flow, pressure, and turbulence, which can significantly affect the rudder’s performance. The shape and placement of the rudder must be carefully designed to minimize these effects.

Aerodynamic factors consider the wind and air resistance’s impact on the boat’s performance. The rudder’s size and shape must be designed to minimize the wind’s effect on the boat while providing sufficient steering control.

The design of a sailboat rudder is a complex process that requires careful consideration of many factors. The size and shape of the rudder, its placement on the boat, and its configuration must be optimized to provide effective steering and maneuverability. By taking into account the hydrodynamic and aerodynamic factors affecting the boat’s performance, a well-designed rudder can significantly improve a sailboat’s overall performance.

Rudder Maintenance and Repair

The rudder is a crucial component of any sailboat, providing steering and control. As such, it’s essential to keep it in good working order through regular maintenance and inspections.

Inspecting Your Rudder

Regular inspection of the rudder is essential to ensure its continued performance and longevity. A thorough inspection includes checking for cracks, wear and tear, and loose components such as hinges, pins, and screws. It’s also important to check the rudder’s alignment and ensure it moves smoothly and without any obstructions.

During your inspection, be sure to check for signs of corrosion, particularly on metal components. Corrosion can weaken the rudder and cause it to fail, so regular cleaning and maintenance are essential to prevent this.

If you notice any issues during your inspection, it’s important to address them promptly. Small cracks or damage can often be repaired, but if the damage is extensive, it may be necessary to replace the rudder entirely.

Common Rudder Issues and Solutions

One common issue with rudders is corrosion, particularly on metal components. Regular cleaning and maintenance help prevent corrosion and ensure the rudder’s longevity. If you do notice signs of corrosion, it’s important to address it promptly to prevent further damage.

Another common issue is damage to the blade or stock. This can be caused by impact with debris or other boats, or simply wear and tear over time. If the damage is minor, it may be possible to repair the rudder. However, if the damage is extensive or compromises the rudder’s structural integrity, it may be necessary to replace it entirely.

Loose components such as hinges, pins, and screws can also cause issues with the rudder. These should be checked regularly and tightened or replaced as needed.

When to Replace or Upgrade Your Rudder

Sailboat rudders can last for many years, but at some point, replacement or upgrade may be necessary. This includes upgrading to a newer design or larger rudder to improve the boat’s performance or replacing a damaged or worn-out rudder that is beyond repair.

If you’re considering upgrading your rudder, it’s important to consult with a professional to ensure that the new rudder is compatible with your boat and will provide the desired performance improvements.

Regular maintenance and inspections are essential to ensure the continued performance and longevity of your sailboat’s rudder. By staying on top of any issues and addressing them promptly, you can ensure that your rudder will continue to provide reliable steering and control for many years to come.

A sailboat’s rudder is a crucial component that helps steer and maneuver the boat safely. The size, shape, placement, and construction materials must all be taken into consideration when designing or replacing a rudder. Regular maintenance and inspection help ensure its continued performance and longevity.

Rudder FAQS

How does a sailboat rudder work.

A sailboat rudder works by changing the direction of the water flow past the boat’s hull, which in turn changes the direction of the boat. The rudder is attached to the stern of the boat and can be turned left or right. When the rudder is turned, it creates a force that pushes the stern in the opposite direction and turns the bow towards the direction the rudder is turned. This is how a rudder steers a boat.

What is a rudder and its purpose?

A rudder is a flat piece, usually made of metal or wood, attached to the stern of a vessel such as a boat or ship. The main purpose of the rudder is to control the direction of the vessel. It does this by deflecting water flow, creating a force that turns the vessel. Without a rudder, steering a vessel would be significantly more challenging.

Can you steer a sailboat without a rudder?

Steering a sailboat without a rudder is challenging but not impossible. Sailors can use the sails and the keel to influence the direction of the boat. By trimming the sails and shifting weight, it’s possible to cause the boat to turn. However, this is a difficult technique that requires a deep understanding of sailing dynamics and is usually considered a last resort if the rudder fails.

What controls the rudder on a sailboat?

The rudder on a sailboat is typically controlled by a steering mechanism, like a tiller or a wheel. The tiller is a lever that is directly connected to the top of the rudder post. Pushing the tiller to one side causes the rudder to turn to the opposite side. On larger boats, a wheel is often used. The wheel is connected to the rudder through a series of cables, pulleys, or hydraulic systems, which turn the rudder as the wheel is turned.

How do you steer a sailboat with a rudder?

To steer a sailboat with a rudder, you use the tiller or wheel. If your sailboat has a tiller, you’ll push it in the opposite direction of where you want to go – pushing the tiller to the right will turn the boat to the left and vice versa. If your sailboat has a wheel, it operates like a car steering wheel – turning it to the right steers the boat to the right and turning it to the left steers the boat to the left.

How do you steer a sailboat against the wind?

Steering a sailboat against the wind, also known as tacking, involves a maneuver where the bow of the boat is turned through the wind. Initially, the sails are let out, and then the boat is steered so that the wind comes from the opposite side. As the boat turns, the sails are rapidly pulled in and filled with wind from the new direction. This maneuver allows the boat to zigzag its way upwind, a technique known as “beating.” It requires skill and understanding of sailing dynamics to execute effectively.

John is an experienced journalist and veteran boater. He heads up the content team at BoatingBeast and aims to share his many years experience of the marine world with our readers.

What to Do If Your Boat Engine Won’t Start? Common Problems & How to Fix Them

How to launch a boat by yourself: complete beginner’s guide, how to surf: complete beginner’s guide to get you started.

Comments are closed.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

Sailing Tips: How To Heave To

Last Updated by

Gabriel Hannon

August 30, 2022

The ability to heave-to is a key part of seamanship that can keep you safe on the water in any breeze strength.

Throughout this article, we will discuss the basic requirements and steps necessary to heave-to and the advantages of doing so in various conditions. We will go through the basic physics of the position and help you to understand why it is such an effective way to slow down your boat.

While there are various positions that are roughly equivalent to heaving-to, including the safety position for smaller boats and fore-reaching in certain conditions, this is a highly useful skill that gives you a good balance of safety, position holding, and quick maneuverability while on the water. It may require some practice and a few erstwhile attempts before you get the complete hand of it, but in situations where you want to put the brakes on without anchoring your boat, heaving-to is a great solution!

As a certified small boat instructor, I have helped all levels of sailors learn how to perform this maneuver in dinghies and similar boats, but its utility is further extended for keelboats and other cruising classes, including catamarans and trimarans. From my conversations with cruisers and a bevy of research, I can assure you that, as long as you’ve got a mainsail and a headsail, this is a viable option for your needs. Maybe I’ll even be able to give you an insight or two into the physics of the whole setup, but first, let’s take a look at the basic premise and a few steps that will help you get there.

Table of contents

‍ The Basics of the Heave-To

While highly maneuverable and not always the easiest to execute, the fundamental premise of the heave-to is not terribly complicated.

Though the balance and the angle will be slightly different depending on the boat and the breeze, there are four basic characteristics of heaving-to.

Angle to the Wind

Though not explicitly included in the diagram, you should expect to be somewhere around 45-50° to the breeze while in this position. This should be far enough from the breeze that your main is not luffing too hard, but close enough that you aren’t powering up too much.

Jib to Windward

Now this is the most important characteristic of heaving-to. While normally frowned upon, and potentially dangerous when unanticipated, backing the jib like this is what gives you stability in this position. You trim the jib, genoa, or other similar headsail with the windward sheet and keep it locked down. If heaving-to in heavy breeze, it is good to employ a storm jib or to reef your headsail if possible to keep it from being too tensioned up in this position, as a big gust could pull your bow well off the breeze and cause trouble.

Main Trimmed

Trimming the main in this position serves two purposes. First, it balances out the jib's pull to turn downwards. This is why you would not take the main down when attempting to heave-to. Second, it preserves the main from the luffing that will age it very quickly. Moreover, if you want to exit this position, you already have your main set for the close-hauled course that you would take on right afterward. Similarly to the jib, you may find that reefing the sail helps in heavy winds, or is useful in balancing the sails overall.

Tiller to Leeward

Keeping the tiller to leeward helps you maintain this position in two ways. First, it continues to balance the jib’s attempts to draw you off the breeze. Second, by opening the rudder’s face to the water flowing under the boat, you are essentially using the rudder as a sea anchor, helping you to slow down even more and continue to hold your position.

These four steps are the baseline characteristics of heaving-to. How this will work on your boat depends on many factors that you cannot necessarily control or anticipate before you get on the water. That is why, rather than giving you a detailed boat by boat procedure, we are going to talk about some of the fundamental physics that you are working with when heaving-to, so that you know how to adjust for yourself when certain things are happening the first few times you try this out.

The Physics of Sail Control

In the type of boats with the headsail-mainsail sail plans where heaving-to is most effective, be it a catamaran, trimaran, keelboat, winged-keelboat, or simple dinghy, there are a few basic forces with which you have to contend while maneuvering of which heaving-to takes advantage. In order to talk about that, however, we first have to deal with

Centers of Effort and Resistance

In sailing in general, the goal of upwind sailing is to balance what we call the ‘center of effort’ with the ‘center of resistance.’

The center of effort is the theoretical point on your sails from which you generate all of the lifting force for forward motion. It is essentially the engine of your sails and the mathematical center of the sail plan.

The center of resistance is the point somewhere underwater on your hull -- on a keelboat it will be somewhere close to that keel -- which provides the lateral resistance that helps your boat move forward, rather than sliding with the wind.

Ideally, your boat is set up so that when you are trimmed to go upwind, the center of effort is directly above the center of resistance. Once you do this, all that lift generated by the center of effort is channeled forwards by the center of resistance. If they are misaligned, or your sails are overpowered for your boat, you will slide laterally. This is why over-heeling your boat to leeward tends to be slow and cause you to sleep sideways, as this effectively reduces the resistive force. Thus reefing, even though it lessens your sail area and reduces the lift generated, actually helps you go forward in heavy breeze as it keeps you from heeling as much and ensures that your centers of effort and resistance are still lined up.

But I digress. The real point of this is to talk about…

Sail Trim and the Center of Effort

Since controlling the balance of the center of effort is crucial to keeping your boat moving, it is useful to know how each sail affects the center of effort. On most boats, the center of effort is at the deepest part of your mainsail, called the draft, about ⅓ of the way back on that sail. This means that you can consider that as the central axis of your boat.

If you move to trim your jib -- or genoa or other headsail -- you are essentially adding more force forward of that central axis, which, in turn, pulls the bow of your boat down, away from the wind. If you overtrim your jib or, even worse, backwind it coming out of a tack, you will feel your boat pulling downwind towards a reach, or even dead downwind if unchecked.

On the other hand, if you move to trim your main in, you will be adding more pressure to the back half of your main, effectively turning your bow upwind (you can even think about it as pushing your stern downwind!).

It is this balance of jib trim and main trim that keeps your boat sailing forwards and your rudder light and helm-free. You can, in fact, use this phenomenon, along with some bodyweight steering in smaller boats, to effectively sail your boat without a rudder, either for fun or in case of a breakdown. Many double-handed race teams actually do this to practice perfecting their sail trim!

Using this to Heave-To

Ok, ok, that’s a lot of that talk, but how does this help you figure out how to find the perfect heave-to balance for your boat. Well, it actually gives you a pretty good sense!

Heaving-to takes advantage of this balance and flips it on its head. Instead of using these characteristics of the main and the jib to propel you forward, heaving-to uses them to stall out your boat entirely. By trimming the jib to weather, a move that would normally tear you down to a beam reach in a second, keeping the main working, and throwing the tiller over, you effectively have fixed your boat somewhere around 45° to the wind.

If you think about the relationships a little more, you see that each of the three main controls, jib, main, and tiller, are effectively keeping each other in check. The jib cannot pull you off the breeze because of the dual action of the main keeping the stern down and the rudder turning the boat back upwind if it gets any flow. The main will not propel the boat forward because the backwinding of the jib is choking off its airflow, and even if it did get moving it would push too close to the breeze and start luffing. Finally, the rudder, positioned as it is, both acts as a brake against the water underneath and helps keep the boat from turning down, which could end this game of dynamic tension.

Troubleshooting

Because this balance relies so much on the individual characteristics of your boat, it is difficult to say exactly what trim settings you will need to maintain this position for a long time. Therefore, it is up to you to experiment!

If you find that your jib is overpowering your mainsail, pulling you off the breeze, you may have to either reef the jib, push the tiller over farther, pull the jib farther to weather, or get more power in the main. With the opposite problem, you may find it necessary to reef the main quite a bit, or find a better way to haul your jib to weather. It is good to have a rough guess of how to set your boat to heave-to in various wind conditions, as it may be different across sea states and breeze strengths, so I would encourage you to try it out a few times on a few different days so that you know before you need it!

How to Heave-To

After all of that, I would be remiss not to give you the rundown of the easiest way to get your boat in the heave-to position. While it is occasionally possible to simply sail upwind, luff your sails for the moment, and heave your jib to weather, this is not necessarily the most efficient way to do it, and it can put excessive strain on your sails and sheets (and yes, that really is why they call it ‘heaving-to!’).

In general, you accomplish the heave-to by sailing upwind then turning your boat into a nice, slow tack. As you do this, keep your headsail trimmed to the sheet on the old tack, so that when you come out of it, you are trimmed on the weather side.

As you come out of the tack and the backwinded jib is trying to pull you off the breeze, keep your tiller pushed, or wheel turned, to leeward. If you don’t overdo it, the fight between the jib pulling you down and the rudder turning you up should stall your boat out so that you are more or less stopped in the water. Throughout this whole process, the main should be trimmed-in, approximately to where you have it when sailing close-hauled, a little looser if anything, but not luffing.

When you find the point where the main is not ragging, the jib is full but not pulling you down, and the tiller is set, you have effectively heaved-to! Again, finding the right balance may not be that easy, and may require various reefing, trimming, and steering adjustments. These are too many to count, which is why I hope the explainer on the various forces that you are trying to balance will help you diagnose any potential issues you have so that you can make these adjustments as you go!

You should find that this is a highly effective way to stop your boat without the need to drop anchor or your sails. In fact, the little forward progress that you will make from the fact that your sails are still filled should be just about enough to keep your position against the wind and the waves, which would drive you backward in any other unanchored arrangement.

Like anything else in sailing, however, it takes a few attempts, a couple of tweaks, and a good feel for your own boat to master the heave-to, so I hope you take this as a good excuse to get back on the water. Happy Sailing!

Related Articles

I have been sailing since I was 7 years old. Since then I've been a US sailing certified instructor for over 8 years, raced at every level of one-design and college sailing in fleet, team, and match racing, and love sharing my knowledge of sailing with others!

by this author

How to Sail

Most Recent

What Does "Sailing By The Lee" Mean?

Daniel Wade

October 3, 2023

The Best Sailing Schools And Programs: Reviews & Ratings

September 26, 2023

Important Legal Info

Lifeofsailing.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies.

Similar Posts

How To Choose The Right Sailing Instructor

August 16, 2023

How To Sail From California To Tahiti

July 4, 2023

How To Tow A Skier Behind A Boat

May 24, 2023

Popular Posts

Best Liveaboard Catamaran Sailboats

December 28, 2023

Can a Novice Sail Around the World?

Elizabeth O'Malley

June 15, 2022

4 Best Electric Outboard Motors

How Long Did It Take The Vikings To Sail To England?

10 Best Sailboat Brands (And Why)

December 20, 2023

7 Best Places To Liveaboard A Sailboat

Get the best sailing content.

Top Rated Posts

Lifeofsailing.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. (866) 342-SAIL

© 2024 Life of Sailing Email: [email protected] Address: 11816 Inwood Rd #3024 Dallas, TX 75244 Disclaimer Privacy Policy

US NTSB probes 'stuck' rudder pedal issue on Boeing 737 MAX 8 flight

Make sense of the latest ESG trends affecting companies and governments with the Reuters Sustainable Switch newsletter. Sign up here.

Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Kirsten Donovan, Nick Zieminski and Jamie Freed

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab

Lululemon sees annual sales, profit below estimates on weaker accessories demand

Apparel retailer Lululemon Athletica on Thursday forecast annual revenue and profit below expectations, pressured by sluggish demand for the company's premium athleisure and accessories.