The boat is a 1989 Hunter 35 legend. The rudder appears to be delaminating in one spot. I used a putty knife and scraped it back to about a 8 inch diameter. What is the best way to fix the delamination. The rudder is not rusted. Can I just use marine tex and sand it out? Any suggestions are welcome as I have the whole winter to think about this project.
rudder delamination
- Thread starter orion
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Try Foss Foam for info too
Suggest asking Foss Foam for their opinion too.
Foss Foam Products of Florida
7060 Highway 41 North
Williston FL 32696
(352) 529-1104
Suggest talking to Al Walker.
This is the company that made the rudder so I'd think they could provide some input too.
Suggest asking Foss Foam for their opinion too.
Foss Foam Products of Florida
7060 Highway 41 North
Williston FL 32696
(352) 529-1104
Suggest talking to Al Walker.
This is the company that made the rudder so I'd think they could provide some input too.
I'd agree with John. You should also search the archives on what other have done. I think this is an easy fix for someone with fiberglass skills.
Orion, this is a fairly simple job and you should be able to get near professional results. You first must determine if the delamination is between the outer skin and the core (common) or if the foam core itself has separated (not as common). In any case you'll want to know the approximate extent of the delamination. You can do this by sounding with the end of a screwdriver to get an approximate size and tracing the outline with a piece of chalk. Then, drill into the outer skin at 3/4" to 1" spacings with a 1/4" bit to determine how far the delamination has spread. When you no longer hit a void, you should be fine. In either case, the repair is the same. To be certain you don't have any moisture in the rudder, you should let it dry out for the Winter being certain no rain will enter the rudder(it can be easily tented). Then, in Spring. recheck the extent of the delamination, dry with a heat gun on low, allow to cool and inject with thickened epoxy and clamp.(See West System manual for excellent detail). You can clamp the delamination in two ways:1.) use long sheet metal screws with fender washers spaced at regular intervals to spread the load or 2.) make battens the width of the rudder and secure with woodclamps. Be careful not to distort the outer skin in either method. When dry, fair with West Low Density filler, add 2 barrier coats and it's ready for bottom paint and another 20 years. Hope this helps. Best, Ron
Here's a follow up to my delamination project.
http://forums.oday.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=744783&highlight=rudder delamination
http://forums.oday.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=744783&highlight=rudder delamination
Our H34 had a similar delam problem - probably more extrem than what you describe. It was roughly the size and shape of a football about 1/3 from the top of the rudder on the stbd side. The bulge protruded about 3/4 inch
I sounded and marked around it then cut just through the gelcoat skin all around it with an angle grinder and a cutting wheel. Then I removed the discoloured foam. I ended up with a dish shaped hollow about an inch deep at the max . I built this back up with epoxy and stitch mat until I was near to level, then filled to level with epoxy and filler. Sanded level and then wrapped the whole rudder in a layer of cloth soaked in epoxy. Sanded again. It has been fine for 7 years. I didn't remove the rudder to do the repair and thanks to cold set epoxy i was able to do the repairs in the spring before launch
I sounded and marked around it then cut just through the gelcoat skin all around it with an angle grinder and a cutting wheel. Then I removed the discoloured foam. I ended up with a dish shaped hollow about an inch deep at the max . I built this back up with epoxy and stitch mat until I was near to level, then filled to level with epoxy and filler. Sanded level and then wrapped the whole rudder in a layer of cloth soaked in epoxy. Sanded again. It has been fine for 7 years. I didn't remove the rudder to do the repair and thanks to cold set epoxy i was able to do the repairs in the spring before launch
Orion, both methods will work but the epoxy injection method has three advantages:1.)shorter repair time and 2.) you do not destroy/remove the original skin of your rudder and 3.)although a remote possibility, the failure of the patch to adhere to the substrata due to improper drying and/or adhesion. We met a Canadian couple at a Ft. Lauderdale boatyard that had a recent blister and rudder repair at a respected yard before heading to the Bahamas. When they arrived in Nassau, he dove to clean the bottom of his boat and the repairs were already delaminating and some patches were open and exposed. I suppose those failed patches left an indelibel memory as we watched the boat being hauled into the yard. Good luck, Ron
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