Dotan Maritime Industries continuously improves rudder quality, we never stop at what has been accomplished. Rudder system is our main and only direction, so fundamental enhancement research isn't a rare event to us.

During latest (14.04.2004 - 20.04.2004) durability tests of rudder boxes designed from the start of year 2003, we conducted a special "upper-gudgeon" test. After pushing the load on the rudder blade to the limit (absolute side pressure simulation model of the water on the rudder blade), till complete rudder box destruction, we failed to break the upper gudgeon.

Hereby we are confident to state that upper gudgeon can be broken only after hitting an underwater obstacle on backward motion . The solidity of the upper gudgeon is rationally optimized to save the rudder blade from such heavy backward motion hits caused by large surging breakers in shallow water.

Happy sailing!