1983 C25_Lower Rudder Gudgeon Leak

[Gavinvt]

Greetings,

I am a new member, and a relatively new sailor (4th season, coastal sailor). I'll try my best to provide succinct, useful info in the hope of having my questions answered:

I recently noticed about a 1/2"-1" of water in the bilge of my 1983 C25 after 5 hours on the water. I was able to determine that it only accumulated when the boat was underway. After some joyful searching through the boat's innards during a heat wave to determine its source, I was able to trace it back to one of the lower rudder gudgeon bolts. The nut was loose, and there are cracks under the washer. The attached photo shows the bolt with the nut removed.

My Questions:

-Can a rapid repair suffice or is this something more serious (e.g., is the integrity of the gudgeon at risk?; is there a wood core in the transom that could be suffering water damage?)

-On the interior of the transom, where the gudgeon attaches, is a raised surface, about 4" by 2" (I'll try to figure out how to upload a photo). Is this original or am I dealing with something that the PO already attempted a repair?

-If a rapid repair will suffice, how do you recommend going about it? I'm hoping to cast off on a week long trip this weekend...

Thank you!

 

[Stu Jackson]

Welcome to our group.
Good questions and well presented.
I'm sure there will be specific responses coming along from others.
I just wanted you to be aware of other resources available to you, and don't know if you knew about the C25 Association. Association Forum - Catalina 25 Specific Forum
Often, boat-specific answers are available in association forums, in addition to the fine skippers on this forum.
I used to have a C25 (1981, #4981), so used both forums.
Congrats on your boat, know you'll have fun with it, I had mine for 13 years!

 

[Hayden Watson]

I never dug into that pile-up on my C25 but it sure looks like a typical "mung-pile" that Catalina liked back in the day for building up thickness quick and cheap. Most likely, that is a pile of resin filler and loose fibers that were stuck on in a single glob to use a backing. If so, the cracks you see would be caused by thermal stresses from the heat generated by the curing of the thick pile. If this is correct, the cracks would only be in the pile-up and not the hull and not structural.
As far as I know, all Catalinas are solid fiberglass in the hull and coring in the deck structures. I would still suggest checking to make sure when you remove the bolt for resealing. While there, check for cracking on the exterior side because that would be more serious.