I have an old Seafarer Trip 30 that is being salvaged. The brass shaft for the rudder was severly damaged due to electrolosis I think. The marina cut the shaft off the boat and now I want to replace it with a stainless shaft. My question is, does the entire rudder need to be rebuilt or can we have the stainless shaft spliced to the brass one? I included a picture of the cut-away on the rudder. Thanks in advance for any advice.
Rudder repair
- Thread starter mjd Seafarer
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I can't tell much from ypur photo...
You may be able to attach stainless to the bronze bit in the rudder or perhaps you can just insert the stainless into a cutout you make in the old rudde. Foam and glass the exterior to shape. Good luck. Wellding, thru bolts or rivets?
You may be able to attach stainless to the bronze bit in the rudder or perhaps you can just insert the stainless into a cutout you make in the old rudde. Foam and glass the exterior to shape. Good luck. Wellding, thru bolts or rivets?
A penny saved is a penny earned
While it is physicaly possable to join an SS to bronze I'd consider that there may be "other" issues inside the rudder that you will not be aware of until it is "really inconvienent". There is also the concern that you now have a welded up battery (SS-bronze) that WILL cause you problems in the future. Better, IMHO to rebuild the rudder with all new materials. You will not have to mess with it for a long time then and you will KNOW that it is sea-worthy. It is probably cheaper to get one shaft of SS than to weld the darn thing anyway.
While it is physicaly possable to join an SS to bronze I'd consider that there may be "other" issues inside the rudder that you will not be aware of until it is "really inconvienent". There is also the concern that you now have a welded up battery (SS-bronze) that WILL cause you problems in the future. Better, IMHO to rebuild the rudder with all new materials. You will not have to mess with it for a long time then and you will KNOW that it is sea-worthy. It is probably cheaper to get one shaft of SS than to weld the darn thing anyway.
No
Through bolting is just not going to work. There is not enough surface area to provide the shear stress that will be placed on the bolts. It is not a good practice to use bolts to transmit a rotational force. That is not what bolts are designed for. You could think up all kinds of ways to do easy. The problem is that in the end, it will keep you up all night with worry. Making a new rudder will provide you with a reliable piece. You will know exactly what it looks like inside and it will work with no worries. There are a few things on my boat that will not be comprimised. The rudder is very near the top of that list. Dan
Through bolting is just not going to work. There is not enough surface area to provide the shear stress that will be placed on the bolts. It is not a good practice to use bolts to transmit a rotational force. That is not what bolts are designed for. You could think up all kinds of ways to do easy. The problem is that in the end, it will keep you up all night with worry. Making a new rudder will provide you with a reliable piece. You will know exactly what it looks like inside and it will work with no worries. There are a few things on my boat that will not be comprimised. The rudder is very near the top of that list. Dan
Why would you want to
rebuild the rudder in Stainless Steel. Bronze will at least warn you before it fails. There is no shortage of Salvage yard bronze available for rebuilding a rudder and any attempt to splice SS to bronze is doomed to fail.
rebuild the rudder in Stainless Steel. Bronze will at least warn you before it fails. There is no shortage of Salvage yard bronze available for rebuilding a rudder and any attempt to splice SS to bronze is doomed to fail.
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