Glossary
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The rudder is a flat piece of wood or metal attached upright to the stern so that when turned the bow of the boat is turned in the same direction

The rudder of the P.S. Lady Sherbrooke was raised in June 1988. It is extremely heavy, weighing about a ton and a half. It is composed of 4 pieces of white oak held together by pins and 3 pintles (the male part of an hinge). The rudder measure 2.6 meters by 1.6 meters . Its thickness is around 20 cm.

For a boat of the size of the Lady Sherbrooke the rudder is small. This can probably be explained by the fact that the two paddle wheels also assisted in steering the boat.

By raising the complete rudder the team of archeologists were given the opportunity to trace it to scale, that is actual size. This greatly aided in a careful and concise analysis.