EP - I am in the dock/marine const. business so it's more Boat Dock than "doc"...I have rebuilt or replaced most gear on this since 2009, but one of the bigger projects was the new rudder/steering system.
When I purchased this boat, it had a bizzare dual rudder set-up, not "flanking rudders" like we have on our tug and pushboats, but two small speed boat style rudders that were too small and made this one of the worst handling vessels I've ever operated (see photo)...it was almost unsafe in a following sea! In fact, I think the previous owner installed a bow thruster to aid in docking because it handled so bad at slow speeds and he probably would have been better off replacing the steering...
So, the first winter project, aside from building a barn to put the boat in, was to cut out the old dual rudders and fabricate a new SS one. This involved cutting back into the keel about 3 ft to laminate in a skeg under the prop, creating a removable SS foot so the rudder could be removed (if nec.) and re-working the steering and hydraulics. In one photo you can see the mock-up I did over the winter of 2009/10 (with the rudder post in upside down temporarily) and in another the finished product after a few years use. The final photo is after I ground down the bottom and completed the Interprotect 2000 system so it was not that smooth when I got the boat!
