Painting a molded plastic rudder

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Bob McL

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Oct 16, 2008
512
MacGregor/Venture 25 Mesa AZ
Using the pictures of the keel is fine. They seem to be from Macgregor and did not start out with me; so I don't know who should get credit.
 
timebandit

timebandit

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Jun 3, 2004
1,863
Macgregor 25 So. Cal.
By the looks of the pits in the plates I think the metal is aluminum.
Stainless should have noticable weight to it.
 
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UseDaGreyMatter

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Nov 23, 2010
116
MacGregor Venture 22 OK/TX
rudder pic before I started to repair

MrMikey64 said:
I've got two different types of rudders, so maybe I can help clear this up.

My earlier (1980) Mac 25 has a rudder that appears to be two fiberglass pieces, joined together by an aluminum plate. Each piece has a cutout.When the rudder is fully extended, the cutouts mate up to each other.

My later Macs (1984 and 1985) have the upper part of the rudder made up of an aluminum shaft. The lower section does not have a cutout in it, as it doesn't need one.

If the upper half of your rudder is made of aluminum, I suspect that the assembly is of a later type.

Am I close?? Perhaps a pic of the entire rudder would be helpful. Meanwhile, I will try to get some pics of the two different rudder styles on my boats.
Click to expand



here it is , no a very god pic but it is the one I took before I started taking it apart. Have better pics on rudder remix page of blog (Jan 02. 2011)http://thetoydiybyagirl.blogspot.com/

was told bottom blade is wrong one, measures about 2 inches to short all the way around and to thin. plus top has several areas of rot as I said before.
yours seems to fit the description of mine. a fiberglass piece and plastic (?) piece joined by two plates sandwiched around the upper and lower with bolts.
 

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timebandit

timebandit

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Jun 3, 2004
1,863
Macgregor 25 So. Cal.
Just remember that what ever you come up with it must be able to fold 90 degrees to launch and retrieve the boat from the trailer.
 
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UseDaGreyMatter

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Nov 23, 2010
116
MacGregor Venture 22 OK/TX
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UseDaGreyMatter

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Nov 23, 2010
116
MacGregor Venture 22 OK/TX
Shooting blanks HELP!!!!

I keep trying to find proper materials and I'm just flat out in the wrong part of the country. I can find boards and places to ship them. its expensive but doable.
The problem is finding boards that are perfect for this application IE: no warps or big knots.
I've even tried to find large enough "plastic" lumber and came up dry.

I have one idea left short of just reassembling this one, which I really do not want to do since the lower blade is undersized.
Idea 1. use original top part as pattern to get shape and hole placement then use Styrofoam for a core to get proper shape and fiberglass with adding some weight to it with some fishing weights. distribute weight along edges in thick part. I'll have to wing it on bottom part using the dimensions I found in a different thread.
thoughts? Ideas, is this a bad idea? If so why?

if it is a good idea does any one have any thoughts on how much weight to add? My thought on that part is take some of this wood I have around here and make sure it s about the same board footage and literlly put it on a scale to see hwo much it weighs.
Then once I get to the coast make a real one out of wood.

:bang:
 
Sumner

Sumner

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Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
UseDaGreyMatter said:
I keep trying to find proper materials and I'm just flat out in the wrong part of the country........Then once I get to the coast make a real one out of wood. :bang:
Click to expand
Or find a temporary second job and buy one from IdaSailor ;). Sorry I couldn't resist. I obviously like making things, but that is one item that I'd figure out a way to get the money together for. I love the way ours works and I don't think I could easily replicate it and its airfoil shape. Also I can see where they have to be structurally very strong. How much do you think you will have in materials to make one and then a second one?

We have popped the cam cleat that holds it down a couple times in shallow water and have had to maneuver out of there with it up and it sure has a ton of stress on it when it isn't down. Needs to be strong for those situations.

Have you had no luck finding one from someone parting out a boat. These boats are getting older every day and it seems like I see more that are being parted out all of the time.

Good luck though,

Sum

Our Trips to Lake Powell, UT - Kootenay Lake, Canada - Priest Lake, ID

Our Mac Pages

Mac-Venture Links
 
M

MrMikey64

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Oct 24, 2008
424
Macgregor 25 (1984) Wildomar, So. Cal.
You do not mention what kind of budget you have to work with, so I do not know your limitations in this matter.
You might want to check out this ad on CL:
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lgb/boa/2151681088.html
He is offering a rudder and tiller for $150. Maybe you could work out a deal to have him (or someone on this forum) ship it out to you.
Just a thought.
 
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UseDaGreyMatter

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Nov 23, 2010
116
MacGregor Venture 22 OK/TX
Will it hold up

timebandit said:
If you are going glass over it why not jus use exterior plywood?
Click to expand
That thought keeps popping into my head. Will it hold up over the long haul if I'm very careful and make sure all exposed surfaces are well epoxied?
 
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UseDaGreyMatter

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Nov 23, 2010
116
MacGregor Venture 22 OK/TX
Budget

MrMikey64 said:
You do not mention what kind of budget you have to work with, so I do not know your limitations in this matter.
You might want to check out this ad on CL:
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lgb/boa/2151681088.html
He is offering a rudder and tiller for $150. Maybe you could work out a deal to have him (or someone on this forum) ship it out to you.
Just a thought.
Click to expand
The budget is your typical shoe string.
 
timebandit

timebandit

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Jun 3, 2004
1,863
Macgregor 25 So. Cal.
If you construct it like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyGrrr7tlSE and pot the mounting holesbefore you glass you will have a water tight rudder.

You could make a new rudder head and 2 new blades with just a 1/2 sheet of plywood.

My blade is aprox. 4 feet long and 1 foot wide. Thickness will depend on the with of your stock pintles.

I would use polyester resin with bondo to fair the wood to save money. Remember you will have to paint the finished rudder to protect the glass from u/v light, so why not barrier coat it with the same paint as the bottom for more protection.

You could paint the lower part with bottom paint and the upper part to match the hull.

Just remember to take in account the extra thickness of the glass and paint when choosing your wood.

UseDaGreyMatter said:
That thought keeps popping into my head. Will it hold up over the long haul if I'm very careful and make sure all exposed surfaces are well epoxied?
Click to expand
 
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