We Do Rudders
Oh man, do we do rudders!
FinCo Fabrication creates rudders for
all boats. We
have a strategic alliance
with Foss Foam who pioneered modern rudder manufacturing.
Original OEM Tooling
We have many of the original molds and tooling
for production boats in our inventory and can replace damaged
rudders with the exact factory replacement as originally provided
by Cal, Santana/Schock, Ranger, Ericson, Islander, Columbia and
many more. The original rudders originally were and are now
manufactured using what has become known as the "clam-shell"
method and our exact replacements use the same tooling and fundimentally
the same technique with the following changes: over the years there
have been advances in glass cloth and in laminating resins making
them stronger and more reliable. We use these modern materials. We
also laminate glass tape to the seams so that Finco rudders will
last even longer than the originals. Please visit the Rudder
Manufacturing page
to see in detail how they are built.
Reliable & Strong
The clam-shell method has proven to be strong
and reliable; the majority of original rudders are still in use
on production boats over 30 years old. More rudder bearings have
been replaced than actual rudders and if your boats needs new
bearings, we can do that too!
Performance Upgrades - one of our most popular options
In addition to replacement with OEM original
equipment, Finco
offers updated profiles and sections. These newer designs won't
make your boat actually go faster, but are designed to improve
handling and directional control. This is most important when sailing
very fast and can help prevent broaching and spin-outs. One of
our most popular upgrades is the Schumaker rudder designed by Carl
Schumaker for the Cal 40. This basic design has proven to be a
very popular replacement on boats ranging from 32 to 45-feet LOA.
If you own a broach coach you might consider a new "Schumaker"
rudder even if your current one is still in good condition.
Most boats can use upgraded rudders without incurring a rating
penalty. Some local PHRF boards will hit some designs with a
3 seconds-per-mile penalty so you should check with your local
board before making your change. |
