I have a H23 which I keep on a bouy in fresh water all summer. What do other sailers do to keep the alge off the rudder? The build up was unbelievable when I pulled her out for the season. The bottom & keel were completely alge free since I sanded it down and applied new bottom paint. Thanks, Ray
ALGE ON RUDDER
- Thread starter RAY K18698
- Start date
- Status
bottom paint....
Normally in fresh water growth isn’t that much of an issue, but in polluted lakes it can be. If its one of them Teflon rudders that wont take bottom paint, then you need to remove it & store it after use.
Normally in fresh water growth isn’t that much of an issue, but in polluted lakes it can be. If its one of them Teflon rudders that wont take bottom paint, then you need to remove it & store it after use.
Light color bottom paint
Ray, If you can't remove or swing up the rudder you'll want to bottom paint it but use a white paint. Darker paints cause the rudder to get too hot in the sun when on the trailer and can cause delamination. Fair winds, Jim
Ray, If you can't remove or swing up the rudder you'll want to bottom paint it but use a white paint. Darker paints cause the rudder to get too hot in the sun when on the trailer and can cause delamination. Fair winds, Jim
H23 Rudder
Hi Ray - As you know, when you release the downhaul, the rudder floats up. On mine, there is a roller that sticks out from the trailing edge of the rudder about halfway down. This roller is attached on the sides of the rudder, but I never looked close enough to say how (rivets, screw, through bolt?). With the rudder floating, I lead the end of the downhaul through the roller, pull the rudder to an upright position and snug the line to the other part of the downhaul with 2 half hitches. The rudder will want to fall back to the water and its own weight keeps the knot from slipping. As with any double half hitch, just take a bit of load off the line, undo the knot, drop the rudder letting the downhaul come out of the roller, pull the downhaul to put the rudder in the down position and you are on your way. The roller looks like it might have been put there by PO. If so, it was a very simple and effective mod. The H260 on the other side of my channel uses the exact same setup.
Hi Ray - As you know, when you release the downhaul, the rudder floats up. On mine, there is a roller that sticks out from the trailing edge of the rudder about halfway down. This roller is attached on the sides of the rudder, but I never looked close enough to say how (rivets, screw, through bolt?). With the rudder floating, I lead the end of the downhaul through the roller, pull the rudder to an upright position and snug the line to the other part of the downhaul with 2 half hitches. The rudder will want to fall back to the water and its own weight keeps the knot from slipping. As with any double half hitch, just take a bit of load off the line, undo the knot, drop the rudder letting the downhaul come out of the roller, pull the downhaul to put the rudder in the down position and you are on your way. The roller looks like it might have been put there by PO. If so, it was a very simple and effective mod. The H260 on the other side of my channel uses the exact same setup.
One Other Thing
be sure to secure your tiller amidships so the rudder doesn't flop back and forth banging your motor and transom while beating itself to death. I use my tiller tamer. Others tie it or bungee it in place.
be sure to secure your tiller amidships so the rudder doesn't flop back and forth banging your motor and transom while beating itself to death. I use my tiller tamer. Others tie it or bungee it in place.
Desitin --- baby ass cream
I slop-on medicated baby diaper cream, let dry and put the boat back in the water. If the boat isnt actively sailed, the diaper cream lasts about a month. Actually my fresh water boat is a double ruddered scow, so the application is easier than described above .... just pull the mast over with a halyard to expose a rudder and wipe the baby cream on etc., then ditto to the other rudder. I dont even have 'bottom paint' on the (aluminum) rudders.
I slop-on medicated baby diaper cream, let dry and put the boat back in the water. If the boat isnt actively sailed, the diaper cream lasts about a month. Actually my fresh water boat is a double ruddered scow, so the application is easier than described above .... just pull the mast over with a halyard to expose a rudder and wipe the baby cream on etc., then ditto to the other rudder. I dont even have 'bottom paint' on the (aluminum) rudders.
- Status