boxing in the kick up steps

You wouldn't think it but it takes over ten individual panels to box in each kick up rudder assembly. The panels shown here will get bonded into the openings in the stern and four more are needed to box in the sides of the steps. The tenth panel will be the horizontal bulkhead that will support the upper rudder bearing.

chopping the starboard boarding steps

I've chosen to build the under slung kick up rudders.  I chose this over dagger board rudders to minimize the chance of sucking air down the rudders and reducing the effectiveness of the rudders at speed. Having experienced this as windsurfer this usually results in a "spin out". In the case of a cat this would just result in a little induced drag.  Truth be told, I just like the clean, functional lines of unobstructed boarding steps

port side boarding steps

Before mixing any epoxy, I've draped a single length of 34oz.triaxial glass cloth over the two aft boarding steps and trimmed it to fit.. I then marked the corners of each step with a sharpy so that I can lift the glass up to roll on a good coat of epoxy. I then laid the fabric back in place, rolled on another coat of epoxy and topped it all off with peel ply.