Don't change some things on the OZ PDR Plans.

Howdy all,

One of the things that people get tempted to change is to omit some of the through bolts in the rudderbox and tiller arrangement.

As you know I try very hard to eliminate screws, nails and bolts from all my designs, but where I draw them in - they are most certainly needed!

The rudderbox is the result of a very long evolution going back to when I first saw it on a Paper Tiger when I was 12 years old (1972)- I knew good design when I saw it!

I've used rudderboxes of similar design on around 12 boats of my own (mostly racing boats) since then and know exactly how to make them light but robust. I've gone through the process of breaking boxes, breaking tillers, ripping rudder pintles out, having blades fall out - so you can all have blissfully trouble free sailing and not have to think about the rudder at all - apart from making sure it in the boat when you drive off to go sailing.

The bolts all have to be there! There have been two rudderbox breakages I know of and both of them had either decided not to fit the bolts or changed their setup.

The one pictured to the right is non standard too but there are many invisible layers of fibreglass doing the job of the two bolts that normally hold the front of the box together as well as hold the rudder fittings to the rudderbox.

So if you want to change something feel free to give me a yell. There is a question form at http://www.pdracer.info or you can go to the woodwork forums link shown in your plans.