I have a wood one on the one boat and the original on the other.Finding,
If I attempted to make a new rudder myself, would wood be ok? What kind? and does it have to be glassed? Or could it just get 20 coats of something. Half tempted to add the couple inches on the front as many have done and similar to the ones available.
Of course I would have to guess at the foil shape and use table and circular saws to rough shape it and sand it to shape. If nothing else I would have a spare.
I prefer the wood as it is kind of a 0018 foil shape. (Kind of.... When I got it it was a 2x12 with rounded edges....) I used my 4" belt sander and some 36 grit paper and sanded it untill I got the foil shape. It took a while! It's OAK!
The wood rudder is toast now because water got in between the glass layer I put on and now there is more rot. I had fixed a couple spots before but now it is too far gone. So soft I could push my knife through the rudder!
I can`t have that for the charter. So I`m going to make a couple this week.
2x12 pine. I`ll rip the board 3 times to get 4 long pieces and glue it back together flipping every other board over and upside down. (If it gets wet ever it won`t warp so much. )
I will be using epoxy to glue it just because I have a couple gallons kicking around and wood glue isn't good in water!
Here is how I plan to remove the material to get the foil shape:
I will take the board and draw the foil on both ends.
Then using my planer I will take the material off a bit at a time. (But how..?)
I will take a thin piece of wood the same thickness to get the piece to the level I want to remove and attach it along the length so the edge that I want to remove the material from is higher and on the same plane as most of the drawing on the end. (I use short brad nails to hold this piece on You could glue it and wait an hour before plaining.)
Once one side is done remove the wood and put it on the other side and do the same process. You may have to adjust the thin piece of wood to get the same exact angle.
That is how I make the 15* angle when I make those big thick old window sills. Usually 6x10". I have a mill mill me the 6x10".
If you don't have a plainer...
Table saw. Have the blade as high as it will go, stand the wood on the long edge and set the blade to cut the angle you drew. (NOTE: you want a 1/2" flat piece on the back end of the foil for strength and it will help sturdy the wood while cutting.)
Cut the angle. Flip the board around and make the cut to the other side. ( It Should still be one piece of wood with a V cut along one side.)
Set your fence to cut the pieces off while the board is flat on it's side. make both cuts. (Now 3 pieces of wood.)
Set the blade to trim off the angle of the front of the rudder. Trim off each side of the leading edge.
(Now you have 5 pieces of wood.) I would start sanding the big one from there. Don't bother trying to remove more material with the table saw. (It can and will kick back!)
I plan to do this this week and will take pictures of how I do it.
I'll take a picture of my wood rudder tomorrow and post the rot and the shape.