CONSTRUCTION OF RUDDERS.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3134, 19 April 1883, Page 2

CONSTRUCTION OF RUDDERS.

[TO the editor.]

Sib, —Upon these depend much of the safety of ships. Many a ship is not heard of, and things we see induce a suspicion that faulty rudders break at the neck and leave the ship to wallow about, unmanageable, in the hollow of the sea, where she is swallowed up by continual seas breaking upon her deck and carrying away'all before them. A centre-beaded rudder is easier upon the wheel-chains; but when it is centred down to the neck, leaving only short wood to substitute the strength required, it is a sorry thing if that rudder deceives, especially in latitudes, or say solitudes, where the waves sweep over and thicken the ice upon the spars, rigging and deck. A rudder may be seen, when finished, to be only a thing to look at, not to be depended upon—timber destroyed, and ready to be condemned. The neck, in the first place, requires to be lengthened’ lower down and backed up the after side to overlap or scarf the turn aft that is caused by centring the head of the rudder with the pintles. To. lengthen the neck of a rudder the upper pintles and braces, which some people know only by the name of gudgeons, want also to be kept lower down or the : neck cannot be lengthened. The head of the rudder is sufficiently steadied above the deck with a flange. Budders last a long time when they are fortunate enough to escape a hard hit of the sea in the right direction to break them in the weak place. It takes more than enough wood is appearance to substitute grown timber

in the shape required. How have Lloyds overlooked such a thing, when so many ships are lost ? Perhaps they have not given it a consideration. Timber only in appearance adds nothing to the strength of a rudder.—l am, &c,, W. Mubley.