1966 Coaster 30 Rudder repair

[Rollercoaster]

Hello - We bought our Coaster 30 last year and are undertaking repairs before the season.

We investigated the condition of our rudder and found soft spots. It is wood rudder encased in a thin skin of fiberglass. We took off the skin and found the wood was soaking wet and many soft spots.

We're not sure how to tackle the repair. We are thinking of letting the rudder dry out, carve out the rotten wood, and treat with Smith's penetrating epoxy, and covering with West system and fiberglass.

Any thoughts on whether this method would work, and if yes, could it be done without removing the rudder?

Other ideas/opinions?

Thanks to all!
Rollercoaster

 

[RON20406]

If you choose to dry out your rudder rather than rebuilding and/or replacing, you must be certain that the wood is structurally sound. It would be helpful to know what type of wood was used for an indication of its density. Since your rudder is a vital structural element of your boat that receives considerable physical forces, you would not want to guess as to its structural integrity. I assume your boat was made in the 60's? Perhaps a rebuild after 40 to 50 years in the water is not unreasonable. I would not recommend the penetrating epoxy as a "fix" since it is essentially putting a band aid over a deep laceration. If, however, you only have a few soft spots and the rudder is essentially sound, you can dig out the rotted wood, dry it, treat it with penetrating epoxy and then fill with a high density filler before fairing and reglassing-- all with the importance of your rudder to the safety of your vessel in mind. Good luck and good sailing, Ron