New Beneteau 10R (34.7) Rudder Design
Published March 8, 2016
Farr Yacht Design (FYD) has developed a new and improved rudder for the Beneteau First 10R/First 34.7. The new rudder is for owners who want better handling in upwind and downwind conditions. We expect improved performance, especially in stronger breeze.
The original rudder sizing for the First 10R was driven by the want to be competitive under IRC. Under IRC, the rule gives no credit for wetted surface area and as such the appendages are driven to be as small as possible. We were also asked to optimize the design for very light winds which also pushed the wetted surface area down. Because of these conceptual constraints, a First 10R competing outside IRC, in moderate to high wind speeds or with a focus more on cruising than racing could benefit from the bigger rudder design.
There is a trade-off between extra drag in light airs versus the benefit of better control when in winds above 10 knots. We would expect improved performance on all points of sail above 15 knots TWS, better performance upwind and reaching in 10-15 knots TWS and reduced performance in all points of sail in less than 10 knots TWS.
Our bigger rudder design is 29 percent larger in area (13 percent from a longer span and 16 percent from a larger chord). The thickness is proportional to the chord increase. This would be required to accommodate a thicker and stronger stock to deal with the larger rudder.
Competition Composites Inc. (CCI) manufactures the new rudder design. CCI is a unique Canadian manufacturing business focused on designing and building composites products for various industries, especially for the boating market. Several rudders have already been installed on First 10Rs, and feedback from these boat owners has been very positive regarding the craftsmanship, feel, and performance of the rudder designed by FYD, and manufactured by CCI. CCI offers the new rudder build for $4950 USD.
For more details or to order, please contact CCI at sales@fastcomposites.ca or or +1-613-599-6951. If you wish to speak with FYD, please contact us at info@farrdesign.com or +1-410-267-0780.
