METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SELF-DEPLOYING RUDDER ASSEMBLY

A water craft attached to a self-deploying rudder assembly for use with an exhaust port having a exhaust stream operating at a selected thrust level includes a mounting assembly and a pivoting rudder blade assembly. The mounting assembly typically includes a mounting ring for attachment to the exhaust port, along with a storage skeg. The pivoting rudder blade assembly typically includes a thrust plate attached to one end of a rudder shaft, with a rudder blade attached to the other end of the shaft. Some deployment means, such as a spring, is used to urge the thrust plate into the exhaust stream when the selected thrust level is below a preselected thrust level. However, when the selected thrust level is above the preselected thrust level, the thrust plate is moved out of the exhaust stream and the rudder blade is thereby moved from a deployed, operational position to a stored position within the skeg. The method of the present invention for deploying the rudder assembly includes the steps of pivotally attaching the rudder shaft to the exhaust port, retaining the thrust plate within the exhaust stream so that the rudder blade is in a deployed position so long as the selected thrust level is below a preselected thrust level, and moving the thrust plate out of the exhaust stream so that the rudder moves to a stored position when the selected thrust level is above the preselected thrust level, wherein the rudder blade lies substantially beneath the exhaust port.