Ship rudder Flanking

When sailing ahead, only the main rudders are used to steer and at that point, flanking rudders are not operational. When sailing backwards the propeller turns in the opposite direction, this is when flanking rudders should be used. Flanking rudders are necessary when you cannot make a turn with the convoy, which results in lots of steering movements. Conventional flanking rudders are always present, resulting in extra resistance when not used. So what are the advantages of the Van der Velden® FLEX Flanking rudders? When sailing ahead the FLEX Flanking rudders are not operational, and are therefore retracted into the vessel hull. This minimises resistance, which results in significant fuel savings. When sailing backwards, the FLEX Flanking rudders can easily be deployed to generate extra manoevring power. ADVANTAGES Fuel savings with forward operations when retracted High manoeuvrability with backward operations when extended APPLICATION Best suitable for inland pusher tugs with barges