Hopefully someone will have the info. If not, I'll measure when the boat is hauled.
At my last haul-out four years ago, I removed the "flaps" that had been covering the hull/skeg to rudder joint area. Reason was that the plastic had become rigid and the flaps were permanently flared out at about a 30 degree angle. (They were probably 1980 original.) I simply removed the 4-5 screws holding each flap on, filled the holes with epoxy and then painted over with bottom paint. And the old flaps went promptly into the dumpster.
I am curious to try again with the original design. John Cherubini must have considered the flaps performance enhancing enough to incorporate them into the production specification.
I recall from posts many years ago that Ed Schenck (I think it was you, Ed) fabricated new flaps out of resin and fiberglass. Not sure that I have the skills/patience to go that route. So I am thinking that plastics have come a long way over the last decade or two. In particular, ski boot plastic bends and flexes like crazy under pretty significant stress, but always returns to it's formed shape.
Today I called TAP plastics and the store manager said that ski boot material is polyethylene. And he has it in stock in 1/8" sheet form. About $3.00 per ft2.
I am thinking that 1' x 2' is probably plenty for both sides, but would like confirmation before I buy. Otherwise I will measure when hauled out. The TAP plastic store is right on the route between home and haul-out location.
Here is the link to TAP Plastic's url:
http://www.tapplastics.com/product/plastics/cut_to_size_plastic/hypact_vhmw_polyethylene/527
At my last haul-out four years ago, I removed the "flaps" that had been covering the hull/skeg to rudder joint area. Reason was that the plastic had become rigid and the flaps were permanently flared out at about a 30 degree angle. (They were probably 1980 original.) I simply removed the 4-5 screws holding each flap on, filled the holes with epoxy and then painted over with bottom paint. And the old flaps went promptly into the dumpster.
I am curious to try again with the original design. John Cherubini must have considered the flaps performance enhancing enough to incorporate them into the production specification.
I recall from posts many years ago that Ed Schenck (I think it was you, Ed) fabricated new flaps out of resin and fiberglass. Not sure that I have the skills/patience to go that route. So I am thinking that plastics have come a long way over the last decade or two. In particular, ski boot plastic bends and flexes like crazy under pretty significant stress, but always returns to it's formed shape.
Today I called TAP plastics and the store manager said that ski boot material is polyethylene. And he has it in stock in 1/8" sheet form. About $3.00 per ft2.
I am thinking that 1' x 2' is probably plenty for both sides, but would like confirmation before I buy. Otherwise I will measure when hauled out. The TAP plastic store is right on the route between home and haul-out location.
Here is the link to TAP Plastic's url:
http://www.tapplastics.com/product/plastics/cut_to_size_plastic/hypact_vhmw_polyethylene/527
no, I haven't checked sbo. This would be an ultra-specialized part good for only a couple of hundred boats ever made - many of which probably had them removed long ago by previous owners. And my guess is that most current owners probably aren't even aware about them!
