Rebuilding rudder help
- Thread starter Armyaviation
- Start date
Yes glass up after you are shore it's dry squeeze the foam and see if any water left in borrow a moister meter and test if there is any water it will freeze and you'll be fixn it again. But any way I'd glass and run bi axle glass Matt on trailing edge leading edge and bottom feather down sides and be sure to keep foil shape gonna be a lot of sanding and glassing . Then seal with a epoxy sealer like interlux E2000 and finally finish paint or bottom paint
It is definitely wood. Those holes are voids that have opened up. There was only paint on the leading and trailing edges over the wood. I drilled into one of the voids and dry wood came out. It is a very heavy rudder, I was wondering why foam was so heavy and now I know why, because it's wood. Is it that important to get the new fiberglass that smooth. You obviously won't see it but I don't want it to affect performance
I did a similar repair on my hunter 25 several years back. Cracks up and down one side and just at teh top on the other. Figured out that was due to how it spent the winter/summer and where teh sun was at on most days.
After drying the rudder, I wrapped mine with a solid layer of fiberglass and added a couple of layers to the leading edge for strength. I then prepared some thickened epoxy to provide some bulk and sanded everything back to a nice foil shape. Interlux 2000 (4 thin coats) and bottom paint to match the hull and you are all set.
Mine was a servicable repair, worked for a few years until I sold the boat. I'm guessing its still in good shape but more care with prep and shaping and maybe an extra layer or 2 of fiberglass would have held up better. But, I'm a cruiser not a racer and it was an old boat so functionality was more important than perfection.
Good luck
After drying the rudder, I wrapped mine with a solid layer of fiberglass and added a couple of layers to the leading edge for strength. I then prepared some thickened epoxy to provide some bulk and sanded everything back to a nice foil shape. Interlux 2000 (4 thin coats) and bottom paint to match the hull and you are all set.
Mine was a servicable repair, worked for a few years until I sold the boat. I'm guessing its still in good shape but more care with prep and shaping and maybe an extra layer or 2 of fiberglass would have held up better. But, I'm a cruiser not a racer and it was an old boat so functionality was more important than perfection.
Good luck
I hit a rock about 6 weeks ago and had some repairing to do also. I had to cut off the rudder post and have an straight one welded in it's place but this but all sorts of goopy weld at the spot where the rudder entered the boat so there is no way it would work. So I built up the top of the rudder with exterior plywood; about 2 1/2". making the rudder 2 1/2" too long. I took a skill saw to the bottom, hooping for those few minutes, not to find the OTHER end of the post. The rudder is solid epoxy with s couple pieces of wood in key locations, then glasses over. I reglassed top & bottom, fared the whole thing, then covered with barrier epoxy and bottom paint. Looks great. I made one modification when I installed it. I added a UHMW thrust washer under the tiller bracket to easy friction. Amazing! Almost no resistance other that water pressure while moving. I've also heard of guys adding a slug of UHMW to the end of the rudder, screwed onto the bottom and sealed into place. Heavy impacts are taken by the plastic. If it gets worn, unscrew and replace. Neat idea.
To add my 2 cents. The bottom paint was likely VC-17 which is a good fast freshwater bottom paint. It will need to be completely removed. Just did this on a 36 boat, lots of sandpaper will work. If the finish is smooth it will come off easily. Use a sander that will capture the dust as it will be almost pure copper. Don't want to breath that.
As was mentioned earlier, build up the leading and trailing edges with epoxy and fiberglass and then sand to smooth foil shape. After the fiberglass it will need to be faired with a decent fairing compound. Interlude Watertite or the competing Total Boat product from Jamestown Distributors will work.
Once everything is smooth and faired put a barrier coat on it. If the boat will be daysailed consider Interlux Performance Epoxy, this will polish out to a smooth hard finish. Don't use plain epoxy as it will degrade in sunlight.
As was mentioned earlier, build up the leading and trailing edges with epoxy and fiberglass and then sand to smooth foil shape. After the fiberglass it will need to be faired with a decent fairing compound. Interlude Watertite or the competing Total Boat product from Jamestown Distributors will work.
Once everything is smooth and faired put a barrier coat on it. If the boat will be daysailed consider Interlux Performance Epoxy, this will polish out to a smooth hard finish. Don't use plain epoxy as it will degrade in sunlight.
Very important to get it smooth, it is a critical foil and you want to keep flow adhered to the rudder for best control and lift to windward. You can mix up some thickening Cabosil in your epoxy and fair it perfectly. Determine the origninal NACA foil and re-create it. Nice little glassing starter project.
About $150 for epoxy paint locally. Any suggestions for a cheaper place to get it. That would give me 2 gallons and I don't need that much
Would epoxy be better than a copper anti fouling paint. That is what was on it. It will be used almost exclusively in fresh water
You can find everything you need in the website store.
Do the job right, or you will be doing it again. Prep the rudder and glass the whole thing, use epoxy and give it few coats on top of the glass. If you do the repair with epoxy you can skip the epoxy primer step, and if you pull the rudder up after use you can skip the bottom paint. A one-part marine paint like Brightside would give it nice finish. Bottom paint does not provide moisture protection, only bio-growth control.
Do the job right, or you will be doing it again. Prep the rudder and glass the whole thing, use epoxy and give it few coats on top of the glass. If you do the repair with epoxy you can skip the epoxy primer step, and if you pull the rudder up after use you can skip the bottom paint. A one-part marine paint like Brightside would give it nice finish. Bottom paint does not provide moisture protection, only bio-growth control.
The rudder does not come up every time. The previous owner had anti fouling paint only. If I glass it and use epoxy, what would be the harm in leaving it in the water?
I an not sure. It was copper colored and then one season in the water it is blackish color. I scratched on it and bright copper undeeneath
Get it rough enough for the epoxy to bond to. Wet out the surface with neat epoxy and pre-wet your glass before laying it on. I would do one side at a time, trim and overlap the glass. A couple of finish coats with epoxy and you are ready to apply paint. Paint protects the epoxy from UV.