Well Rover is almost ready for the ocean, its been a long winter, and we gutted the boat and replaced everything, yup everything. I was sanding the bottom today and when I got to the area of the rudder, I noticed a crack in the leading edge. Its about a 1/16" to an 1/8" wide and about three feet long (top to bottom). The rudder has no play in it, and no movement left to right or up and down that it shouldn't have. The rest of the rudder seems solid with no other holes or cracks. I am leaning towards opening the crack with a dremel, and packing it with epoxy, and high density filler. Maybe drill a few holes perpendicular (or was that horizontal) to the crack and injecting epoxy, but I am not sure what the core is made of. Anyone have any suggestions, I am open to any and all ideas. I really don't want to buy or make a new rudder. Safety is of paramount importance, especially since this boat ( 1976 Hunter 30') has no emergency tiller or a place to put one.
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My rudder
on my 76 h30 had so many blisters, I ground off the fiberglass and reglassed the whole rudder. The core was a thickened mixture of polyster resin poured into a mold and glassed over. The old fiberglass came off in large sheets. Good luck, Royce
on my 76 h30 had so many blisters, I ground off the fiberglass and reglassed the whole rudder. The core was a thickened mixture of polyster resin poured into a mold and glassed over. The old fiberglass came off in large sheets. Good luck, Royce
Winter Woes
Watch for water permation. It happens to mine. If the water can't drain then it will freeze and crack/delaminate the rudder.
Watch for water permation. It happens to mine. If the water can't drain then it will freeze and crack/delaminate the rudder.
thanks Royce and Paul!
I took my trust dremel to it, cut the crack out about 3/8" in either direction, and about 3/8" deep, coated it with epoxy, and then filled it with epoxy and high density filler. I layed two layers of matt over it and two additional coats of epoxy, sanded smooth and put the bottom paint on, looks like new and solid as a rock. Didnt see any signs of water permeation though, I think its old age, not unlike my face, which is cracking too.
I took my trust dremel to it, cut the crack out about 3/8" in either direction, and about 3/8" deep, coated it with epoxy, and then filled it with epoxy and high density filler. I layed two layers of matt over it and two additional coats of epoxy, sanded smooth and put the bottom paint on, looks like new and solid as a rock. Didnt see any signs of water permeation though, I think its old age, not unlike my face, which is cracking too.
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