Lee308 wrote:
A rudder "hung on the stern" is what I'm comparing to. This seems less
of a maintenance issue at sea. By that, I mean one less thru-hull
fitting to deal with.


You should do some careful looking at parts of boats. Rudder shafts
don't have 'thru-hulls' although they do have bearings and occasionally
(rarely) packing glands. It's not really much of a maintenance issue at
all, much less one "at sea."


Jeff wrote:
As I mentioned, having a transom hung rudder is a really a function of
other design issues.

Yes very much so.

... For instance, a full length keel is more conducive
to a transom hung rudder.

I disagree here, there are a lot of fin keelers with transom rudders.
Many have pretty substantial skegs too.

... Most designers (and buyers) will consider the
keel design more significant than the rudder design, and that's really
what you should be considering. Perhaps a more interesting rudder
question you might ask is a balanced rudder vs, a skeg hung rudder.


Or partially balanced with skeg.
The issue I see with rudders is not one of esoteric design philosophy
(unless you're designing & building your boat), but one of practical
issues. How strong is it? Is it likely to catch trailing lines? Can it
be damaged by grounding?


Actually, to put both of your questions in perspective, you should go to
a large marina and walk the docks to see what's out there. Remember that
most cruisers don't have the luxury to buying the ultimate blue water
cruiser, they simply take off in whatever they have, or can afford. In
cruising spots, you generally see the boats that were sold 20 years ago
as "family cruisers" or "racer/cruisers."


Agreed again. The best boat for cruising is the one that takes you
there. That said, there are some really poor choices out there... not
necessarily the cheapest either...

Fresh Breezes- Doug King