She’s been a “bit of a dog” around the docks ever since I’ve had her – her handling more than a little sluggish and slow to respond. We’ve pieced together some of the reasons why and no, nowhere on the list is the phrase “Bill Garden is an idiot.” He designed the boat as she should have been in 1952. One rudder, given the sailing rig. One rudder, big enough to catch the wash from the large 33″ x 34″ propellers.

Ah, but wait, my astute readers! Remember that refit she had a few years ago? The one where they put new engines onboard? When they changed the prop size to 20″ x 22″? But somehow neglected to foresee the part where none of the wash from the faster, smaller props was actually reaching the rudder anymore?

Enter my Magic Brock, and the Uber-Talented Welding Twins, Dean and Joe. Some sheet metal, a good old wire feed welder, little bit o’ time and *POOF*!

An extended, articulated, hinged, mechanical fin that now catches the prop wash!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERtrPUjjAsE]

I’ve seen it built, in action, and throughout the whole process. I *still* don’t get quite how it works.