I have the rudder blues

[Ken Palmer]

I found cracks on both sides of the rudder when returning to my Hunter 33.5 after being away for a month. A boating neighbor said that he had seen bulges on both sides while we were gone.These cracks are like hairline cracks (see attached image). Should I just repair the cracks with epoxy, drill holes in the rudder to check for water, or remove it completely from the boat and open it up to dry out?I don't know if this is relevant, but the are some deformities in the rudder. See link for more images....Suggestions?

 

[Ed Schenck]

Pretty common up . . . .

here where it freezes Ken. Water saturates the foam core and then expands when it freezes. Drilling holes is the right first step. Try several from the bottom if you can get under the rudder(or a right angle drill head). Otherwise a row on both sides a few inches up from the bottom at an upward angle. I think that you will be surprised at how much water dribbles out over time.During the nine years of wintering in Ohio I was able to stem the tide. It took about three spring thaws of holes and epoxy filler. Then some epoxy over the cracks after sanding smooth. I think it also helped to seal the top of the rudder where the post exits. That may have been the main source.

 

[Paul Akers]

I Drill Weep Holes...

...every year because that happened to me 6yeatrs ago. I had to have the rudder repaired to a cost of $450 at the time. Now I drill 3 weep holes on the bottom sides each fall when I lay it up for the winter.

 

[Ken Palmer]

Rudder update

I called Foss Foam this morning, and also sent them the link to the images in my first post. He said that if it were only the small cracks on the sides, I could repair it. The obvious bulges on both sides indicates there may be a problem with the foam cracking. He also said that I shouldn't drill through the bottom. They want me to send the rudder to them. They will take the rudder apart and rebuild it using the existing metal framework.Now I only need to drop the rudder from the boat. That means I'll have to dig a hole.More to come as time goes on.

 

[Warren Milberg]

Foss Foam Rudder Rebuild

There is a very well done article, complete with images, done by Jay Grizzell on the Hunter 28.5 website. See link below. Also, it may be worth it to have your boat raised by a travelift or similar device in order to remove/reinstall the rudder rather than digging a hole. I removed my rudder this way last year and it worked well. You need someone in the boat and perhaps two others on the ground to control the rudder when it is disconnected.

 

[Ken Palmer]

Dug the hole yesterday

I decided to dig a hole since the marina could not spare a travel-lift during this busy time of launching. It was difficult digging because of gravel from the adjacent drive. I can't believe the rudder was so heavy! It takes two men and a boy to lift it onto a pallet.I have had opinions up to and including replacing the rudder with a new one. The price difference is about $800 less shipping, so I have decided to let the pros at Foss Foam do the work. The pictures referred to by Warren were excellent and confirmed that I would not be able to do this job myself. *o

 

[Rich M]

Save some freight

You may choose to make a tracing of the rudder and the post, marking the post exactly where it and the rudder meet. Then you can basically remove the rudder from the frame. This will significantly reduce your freight cost. i did this with Foss Foam a few years ago when I ran through exactly the same issue on my 85 28.5. One trick that I have done is my rudder is now white. This does appear to help reflecting the light / heat that accumulates when the boat is out of the water. Just more food for thought. Good luck with what ever you decide.

 

[Ken Palmer]

Rich, how did you do it?

How did you seperate the post and frame from the rudder?Thanks... Ken

 

[Daryl]

ReTHINK the FOSS Option

I shipped my original H34 rudder to them in Florida. Shipping was $100. They used (and inspected) the original stainless post and frame and built a new rudder around it. It arrived with very poor quaility and needed figerglass work. The Foss excuse was "the mold is old". Two seasons later the rudder failed and I sent it back to Florida. They opened it up, saw a broken weld and said it sucks to be me. They agreed to build me a new rudder for a wholesale price which arrived at my home with shipping damage. I strongly suggest you avoid doing business with them. Drain the water out of the old one, repair the crack and drill a weep hole every fall when you haul it out.

 

[Rich M]

Saw, hammer and chisel

Ken:I figured the rudder was pretty useless anyway and i wanted to see the "insides" that Foss would build over so I started basically by cutting and peeling the rudder apart. It was definitely a messy job, but what I had left was a cleaned up inspected (by me) metal rudder. Once you open it up all it takes are basic hand tools and some muscle.Good luck.