J/30 Class Association Forums J/30 Forum The Smack When in need - borrow from a J29

We were recently competing in Charlottetown (PEI) Race Week and suffered a broken rudder on the last downwind leg of the last race of the 2nd day (of course while in first). Lost the prop too. After a coast guard rescue, we found a J29 rudder and, after drilling some holes and remounting the gudgeon we were off for day three (with a tow out). Worked like a charm (absent some reduced range in motion).

The four new holes in the transom were acceptable due to the victory

Brandon Forbes and Blair Arsenault
#246 Endeavour
bforbes@campbelllea.com

congratulations on the win!
What was the root cause of the rudder breaking?

25 knots of breeze + outgoing tide + incoming swell + trying to keep the nose headed downwind + water penetration in some balsa cells near the lower pintel bracket = failure.

Had no obvious signs of distress. One heck of a bang.