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steering fin question

A

airfan

Active member
Howdy, I just found this site and it is incredibly informative! I did a search on fins and steering fins but didn't see this topic come up. I'm sure it has been discussed at great length so here goes: I have a 44 x 78 wood paddle prop and I have been using two 4' tall fins. I may be upgrading to a 80" 3 blade prop soon. Would it be beneficial to go to 5' tall steering fins? Is the performance that much better? Thanks for your opinions.
 
You might try searching for the word "rudder". I rember a thread a few months ago

about that. I'll try and find it.
 
Faster horses, Older whiskey, Younger wemen and more RUDDER.


Scotty :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
Damn, all those years of college...WASTED! Rudders...of coarse. Also, does anyone have a preferred distance they should be separated? Does a taller fin, uh...rudder need to be spaced farther apart for maximum performance?
 
I wonder if making the rudders not taller but longer will help on the responsiveness on turning?
 
FIVE FT FINS ARE FER 18 AND ABOVE BOATS ! AND YOU CAN PAINT BIGGER AND MORE DETAIL WEMEN PICTURES ON THEM AND THIER PHONE NUMBERS SOMETIMES !! :D
 
Taller rudders with more surface area give better turning, assuming the propeller flows air over the bigger surface. The longer rudders are great unless you run levees and dont want to tear the rudder off when you come down the incline. Thats why many long single rudders have a notch or relief in the back bottom portion of the rudders. My 5ft tall Dave Powell airfoil rudders turn my boat on a dime. There is no comparision between flat rudders and airfoil rudders in my experience. Charles
 
Im only gonna have 40" tall by 20" wide ultra light rudders on my new Wide track, just because My boat isnt going to be that heavy, so I dont need big rudders. The Bigger, and the heavier the boat, the big rudders you will need!
 
FINS! FINS! Fins to the left, Fins to the right........LAND SHARK!!!!!!

Sorry, it's a Parrothead thing. I think I need a boat drink.


Bob
 
Swamp, that's funny .... I thought the same thing when I read it.
I'm glad we got a chance to bring Brother Buffett into the conversation :) .

"Mother, mother ocean, I have heard you call. Wanted to sail upon your waters since I was three feet tall ..... "
Jimmy Buffett, 'A Pirate Looks at Forty'
 
You guy's know that Jimmy and Allen Jackson hang out together a lot in Palm Beach and my sister and brother in law se them fairley regular on Allens yacht on the intercoastal water way would'ent be cool if we could get those two on an Airboat probably would be the makins for a new song.
 
Yea that would be cool. My boat that is in the picture on my post is named Banana Wind and my tour business is Banana Wind Airboat Adventures named after the song (all instrumental) and the album. It seems to fit well. Especially the definition of the phrase.

Boy, did we hijack this thread.

It's not my fault, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Now where is that shaker of salt?


Bob
 
Jimmy is a very neat guy ...... I actually got to meet him one evening in Colorado maybe 20 years ago. He is in person just like he is on stage, and his lifestyle is the dream of anybody who loves life. He lives large and enjoys every minute.

Alan Jackson and Jimmy on an airboat ? Oh man ! Jimmy's would probably be a radial A/C on a big Glades hull and Alan's boat would probably run a supercharged big block Ford ..... :lol: . That would be fun.
 
Yea and it would be an exotic big block like a 427 SHOC or a BOSS 429 Shotgun Hemi sounds like it would make a great Video, now what was this thread about again :?
 
Olf, you are right on both boats. Jimmy has a passion for big radial sea planes.
A few years ago while I was working in south Fl., one of my customers was Merrit Boat and Engine Works in Pompano who built Allan Jackson's boat and I remember seeing the "Hullbilly" while it was being built. She's a fine lady.
She also runs cummins for powerplants.

Someone mentioned FINS and the rest is, well........

Bob
 
..... about steering fins ..... I think we should all have em. :drunken:

OK, now where IS that salt shaker ?!!
 
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