Self aligning yacht rudder bearing

摘要

A yacht rudder bearing assembly (3) that allows a yacht's rudder (1) to flex under load whilst maintaining good bearing efficiency and helm sensitivity. Compliance is achieved by means of a flexible element (13) bonded to an outer housing (14) and an inner roller bearing hub (4). A lower bearing is fixed to the hull of a vessel (2) and a corresponding upper bearing, concentric to the lower bearing, is fixed into the upper part of the hull or deck. The rudder (1) is thus connected to the vessel via these two bearings allowing the yacht's rudder blade to flex naturally without impairing the feel of the helm which is a great advantage in competition sailing.