Rudder

[Joemas]

Not a true DE but my buddy has a 28 albin and this is a pic of his rudder .
Looks like something is missing .
Any thoughts ?

 

[TCL]

Your buddy should join this site, Im sure he can get this as well as many other questions answered.

Albin Owners Group - AOG Main

 

[novivin]

Did somebody give the trailing edge a trim?

 

[Pitou]

Not a true DE but my buddy has a 28 albin and this is a pic of his rudder .
Looks like something is missing .
Any thoughts ? View attachment 168317

What year and is it a flush deck as opposed to and engine box on the cockpit?

 

[Marc5213]

Can't be sure but I would think, there should be a collar where it comes through the hull.

 

[enginecom]

That blade is a bit small on the bottom half. It could be tested by adding a sandwich of aluminum plates clamped on the blade to square it off temporarily. That would tell the owner whether it would be worth doing for slow speed handling. I doubt a square blade rudder would do much at high speeds.

 

[Pitou]

I've been an Albin guy for a long time and for many years very active in the Albin Owners Group Forum, purchased a 2002 Albin 28TE Engine Box model in 2004 and ran that boat for 9 seasons.

The original Albin 28TE engine box models with reversing gear had this small rudder. Due to lack of slow speed handling the rudder was squared off and the boat then handled quite well at all speeds. Rudders were provided by Buck Algonquin.

Fast forward to 2005 when the market place demanded a more roomy cockpit and Albin introduced the "Flush Deck" model. To achieve this, Albin needed to move the engine forward and raise the deck about 6 inches. The dance floor was achieved and the marketplace was thrilled. Another win was that with the engine forward the reversing gear was eliminated. The downside: access for service was a bear and steering at higher speeds with the larger rudder proved quite squirrelly with the bow taking nose dives when cornering. I was at Standish Boat Yard in Tiverton, RI when Albin was there sea trialing different methods for correction as this hull was never originally designed to have a "Flush Deck". Albin started with 50 gallon drums of water on deck shifting them around to try and re-balance the boat, adding pig iron and ultimately cutting the improved square rudder back to what is pictured in the OP's opening to this thread. With the cut back rudder the high speed handling was improved with no more nose diving in the corners. Unfortunately, the Flush Deck can't corner as sharply as the Engine Box Model. It's not ideal, but it works.

The short is that the original Engine Box model is a much better handling boat, but the marketplace demanded the open cockpit and compromises were made.

 

[Brooksie]

Poor rudder design. Normlly the top of the rudder has more power than the bottom so the bottom should be at least as wide if not wider. In this design they are also letting a lot of steering power escape over the top of the rudder as well. So maybe two wrongs make a right LOL I don't think so.

 

[Joemas]

I've been an Albin guy for a long time and for many years very active in the Albin Owners Group Forum, purchased a 2002 Albin 28TE Engine Box model in 2004 and ran that boat for 9 seasons.

The original Albin 28TE engine box models with reversing gear had this small rudder. Due to lack of slow speed handling the rudder was squared off and the boat then handled quite well at all speeds. Rudders were provided by Buck Algonquin.

Fast forward to 2005 when the market place demanded a more roomy cockpit and Albin introduced the "Flush Deck" model. To achieve this, Albin needed to move the engine forward and raise the deck about 6 inches. The dance floor was achieved and the marketplace was thrilled. Another win was that with the engine forward the reversing gear was eliminated. The downside: access for service was a bear and steering at higher speeds with the larger rudder proved quite squirrelly with the bow taking nose dives when cornering. I was at Standish Boat Yard in Tiverton, RI when Albin was there sea trialing different methods for correction as this hull was never originally designed to have a "Flush Deck". Albin started with 50 gallon drums of water on deck shifting them around to try and re-balance the boat, adding pig iron and ultimately cutting the improved square rudder back to what is pictured in the OP's opening to this thread. With the cut back rudder the high speed handling was improved with no more nose diving in the corners. Unfortunately, the Flush Deck can't corner as sharply as the Engine Box Model. It's not ideal, but it works.

The short is that the original Engine Box model is a much better handling boat, but the marketplace demanded the open cockpit and compromises were made.

Thanks for that in depth explanation .
So this is and was a typical rudder by albin at one time .

 

[Pitou]

Thanks for that in depth explanation .
So this is and was a typical rudder by albin at one time .

That is correct. I know a few who had upgraded their 1990's Albin 28 TE's with engine box and smaller rudder to full size with improved handling results at all speeds in forward and especially in reverse.