Just thought I'ld send a pick of a recent accomplishment of mine. How can you avoid this? Check to make sure you have the right charts on the boat before you leave the dock, and always double check someones personnal directions with a chart. Ken
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At least...
At least you're close to the source for a new one: Foss Foam. I purchased a new rudder from them last year and found them most helpfull. Al Walker was the guy, if memory serves. Mine was cracked, delaminated and generally suspect. Two thougths on your predicament - does a shoal draft keel make the rudder more vulnerable, and, does a hollow rudder post minimize damage to hull, lower bearing, etc? (I would think a solid rudder post could even tear open the hull in an event like yours...)Good luck and thanks for having the guts to share this with us; There, but for the grace of God, go I...
At least you're close to the source for a new one: Foss Foam. I purchased a new rudder from them last year and found them most helpfull. Al Walker was the guy, if memory serves. Mine was cracked, delaminated and generally suspect. Two thougths on your predicament - does a shoal draft keel make the rudder more vulnerable, and, does a hollow rudder post minimize damage to hull, lower bearing, etc? (I would think a solid rudder post could even tear open the hull in an event like yours...)Good luck and thanks for having the guts to share this with us; There, but for the grace of God, go I...
Some suggest that....
... the rudder through-hull on the 37c is a recognized weak point. Maybe so, but it would appear from your unfortunate incident that it's nevertheless pretty sturdy.
... the rudder through-hull on the 37c is a recognized weak point. Maybe so, but it would appear from your unfortunate incident that it's nevertheless pretty sturdy.
Yes, thanks for sharing.
Very unfortunate Ken. But as Jim and Walt point out this is also enlightening. It bent but did not break. We are assuming there was no hull damage. Is there any? I had considered doubling up the rudder post but never have because of Jim's concern. If the post does not bend or break does it tear out the stern? Fortunately the post exit is high enough that I think you could keep most of the water out even if it did open up. Will you straighten and strengthen or replace? Did you see Gary Henkelmann's photos of his H37C rudder rebuild? They are in the Photo Forum. Good luck, and thanks.
Very unfortunate Ken. But as Jim and Walt point out this is also enlightening. It bent but did not break. We are assuming there was no hull damage. Is there any? I had considered doubling up the rudder post but never have because of Jim's concern. If the post does not bend or break does it tear out the stern? Fortunately the post exit is high enough that I think you could keep most of the water out even if it did open up. Will you straighten and strengthen or replace? Did you see Gary Henkelmann's photos of his H37C rudder rebuild? They are in the Photo Forum. Good luck, and thanks.
Replacing this week
Al Walker is the guy, he beefed up the replacement slightly by inserting a second steel pipe inside the post and foaming it in. Some minor flaking of gelcoat on the hull where the rudder enters but nothing severe, though only one screw holds the starboard rudder flap on at present. And yes I think the 4' draft does make the 4' rudder more vulnerable. Somewhat related question; Your aground in 3' water and you draft 4', your perpendicular to 10 knot wind with both sails up, and being assisted into less water by 3-4' waves also abeam, how do you lower the main sail? Luckly I have mast steps which allowed me a cautious climb past the spreader to pull the sail down one slider at a time. Any other suggestions? Thanks, Ken
Al Walker is the guy, he beefed up the replacement slightly by inserting a second steel pipe inside the post and foaming it in. Some minor flaking of gelcoat on the hull where the rudder enters but nothing severe, though only one screw holds the starboard rudder flap on at present. And yes I think the 4' draft does make the 4' rudder more vulnerable. Somewhat related question; Your aground in 3' water and you draft 4', your perpendicular to 10 knot wind with both sails up, and being assisted into less water by 3-4' waves also abeam, how do you lower the main sail? Luckly I have mast steps which allowed me a cautious climb past the spreader to pull the sail down one slider at a time. Any other suggestions? Thanks, Ken
Attachments
Lowering a loaded sail
Tough to lower a sail when it's full of wind. I assume you let the sheets run all the way out first... How about using a cunningham or reefing hook? Reeve the line through a block at the mast step and back to a winch. Winch it down as far as you can. Move the hook to the next reef or hook it over the highest sail slide you can reach. Winch it down again. Repeat.
Tough to lower a sail when it's full of wind. I assume you let the sheets run all the way out first... How about using a cunningham or reefing hook? Reeve the line through a block at the mast step and back to a winch. Winch it down as far as you can. Move the hook to the next reef or hook it over the highest sail slide you can reach. Winch it down again. Repeat.
Sheet out but...
in hind sight, I believe the boom stopped at the running back stay. I guess I should have moved it forward and tried it again, hindsight is so wonderful. thanks, Ken
in hind sight, I believe the boom stopped at the running back stay. I guess I should have moved it forward and tried it again, hindsight is so wonderful. thanks, Ken
Ken, the hole?
In your portside picture there is a hole visible just forward of the rudder but below the waterline. What is that? Probably most of you know this but those little rudder fairings that screw in at the end of the stern and overlap the rudder are a good source of leaks. Those screws go clear through the fiberglass, there is nothing solid behind them. Many H37C owners have glassed in those holes and thrown away the fairings if they ever had them. Mine are still there and I remove them and rebed the screws when I paint the bottom every Spring.
In your portside picture there is a hole visible just forward of the rudder but below the waterline. What is that? Probably most of you know this but those little rudder fairings that screw in at the end of the stern and overlap the rudder are a good source of leaks. Those screws go clear through the fiberglass, there is nothing solid behind them. Many H37C owners have glassed in those holes and thrown away the fairings if they ever had them. Mine are still there and I remove them and rebed the screws when I paint the bottom every Spring.
Cockpit drain, the bottom paint
runs high. I think they are right at the water line, pretty low. But my holding tank pumpout throughport is below the waterline, somebody told me it shouldn't be? Ken
runs high. I think they are right at the water line, pretty low. But my holding tank pumpout throughport is below the waterline, somebody told me it shouldn't be? Ken
Tank pumpout.
That's a question for Peggy I guess. Mine is capped because I cannot use it in Lake Erie. But it is also well below the waterline. My cockpit drain and exhaust are next to each other, right in the middle of the bootstripe. Yours must be painted quite a bit higher.
That's a question for Peggy I guess. Mine is capped because I cannot use it in Lake Erie. But it is also well below the waterline. My cockpit drain and exhaust are next to each other, right in the middle of the bootstripe. Yours must be painted quite a bit higher.
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