Stuff in Rudder ( Mac 25)

Jul 1, 2018
9
Macgregor 25 New London
I disassembled my rudder and when I flipped it upside down it sounded like one of those rain sticks. Tons of little particles bouncing off stuff inside. It looks like its in decent shape from the outside but I'm guessing its just going to fill up with water when I go to use it. Is it foam filled and is it safe to drill a hole in it and let everything out and seal it and its good to go for the time being? Or do I do a real repair? I've never used the boat. Few weeks away from getting it in water after Full top deck re-core and refurbishing the whole boat to a usable state.

Thanks,
 
Apr 16, 2017
841
Federation NCC-1701 Riverside
My centerboard would make that sound. The Fiberglas Reinforced Plastic may have delaminated from the foam. That sound could be water swishing between the layers.

A hole at the bottom probably wont work well, unless the delamination goes to the bottom, which is not likely.

I cut horizontal slices with a router until it bled out.

Listen to other posters before cutting. You need to find out if its water, and if so, how it got in.

If delaminated it should have a hollow sound, drill small holes there to see if water drips out. Thats where you go bold and make a long cut.

Youll need to be pro on the FRP repair since a long horizontal cut weakens tbe total FRP structure.

I would pray its water....Id rather not find out the foam turned to dust.
 
Feb 20, 2011
7,990
Island Packet 35 Tucson, AZ/San Carlos, MX
Is it foam filled and is it safe to drill a hole in it and let everything out and seal it and its good to go for the time being? Or do I do a real repair?
Plywood wrapped with fiberglass most likely. Can't say one way or the other without first-hand inspection, but in Cover Your A$$ mode, make sure it can handle the stress of sailing before you commit to crossing the Atlantic.
Full top deck re-core
You've gone this far? Heck, the rudder should be a piece of cake. :)
 
Jul 1, 2018
9
Macgregor 25 New London
Thanks for the info. Ill check it out today and might just end up rebuilding it if I have to. Its been indoors a year and a half so it wont be this dry again for a while if I try to use it. I bought it to learn to fix as much as learn to sail. My $500 " Ill just fix around the mast step and get it in the water in a few weeks" boat turned into a full nut and bolt restoration / rebuild anyway. Why stop with the rudder.
 

Seadoc

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Aug 4, 2016
36
Macgregor 25 Virginia
DM,
What year is your Mac 25? I noticed that you did a deck re-core. I have a 1985 Mac 25 which I'm in the process of refurbishing. I'm curious as to which parts of the deck are cored. I haven't been able to locate that information anywhere.
Also did you remove the flotation foam blocks to gain better access to the areas under the V-berth and cockpit. I opened access through the hull liner on the port & starboard under the cockpit so I could clean, inspect and gain access to the underside of the cockpit fittings. I plan to replace the original foam blocks with foam blocks that are less likely to mildew and absorb water. In your boat what were the locations of the bilge pump and battery?
Looking forward to your reply.
 
Jul 1, 2018
9
Macgregor 25 New London
My Boats an '84. I don't know about the cockpit i think that's pure fiberglass, besides that everything you stand on is cored with 1/4 inch ply including the hatches and sliding part over the pop top. The top deck is 2 flat pieces like you would buy at Home Depot. There is a seam right down the middle where moisture just followed right down on mine. One of the mast step bolts goes right through it. So make sure its sealed.

There should be a metal battery strap under the dining room seat. I believe that's the original spot. My electrical is a hack job. the main wires to the panel are missing.

I took all foam out and disposed of it as it was soaked. I'm going to look into some kind of inflatable solution. Maybe like those pool pillows that are used to hold up pool covers. Could deflate it if you needed access. I might just get better foam.

The bilge pump is basically next to the keel bolt. It has a tube that runs back behind the winch and empties into the cockpit. When it gets done doing its job it has a hard time pumping strait up and out. I might change that. That area next to the keel bolt is the lowest spot in the whole boat. Actually a little bit further forward is and any water that gets under the floors goes there.

I bought this boat as an experiment and to get experience on costs and to learn how to do repairs and learn how things work. I didnt know anything about sailboats or boat building or repair going into this so my cuts and repairs are newbie repairs. top deck seems solid like new now though.
mac deck.jpg
 

Seadoc

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Aug 4, 2016
36
Macgregor 25 Virginia
DMC9001,
I had another look at your reply to my questions and also looked at the attached pic. It appears that you got to the coring from the deck side. Why did you not approach it from inside the boat? From what I've read that is the more common method. How and what did you use to re-core and recover the deck?
Might you by chance know the inside diameter of the cockpit drain hose? I forgot to measure it today when I was under the cockpit and would rather not go back to check it out unless I have to.

Re: bilge pump location. Am I correct that yours was on the starboard side just aft of the head space and under the forward dining area seat? I had a battery in this space and what looked like white bilge pump hose.

BTW today I finished pouring thickened epoxy into the re-drilled mounting holes for all of the deck fittings from forward to aft. Yep, there sure are a lot of them! I plan to paint the deck and apply new non-skid...possibly Kiwi Grip. I've also decided to paint the hull with a 1-part polyurethane. One thing's for sure...you don't have to have the boat in the water in order for it to be a hole into which you pour $$$. ;-)
 
Jul 1, 2018
9
Macgregor 25 New London
sorry I didn't respond sooner. I didn't see the notification anyone replied.
It seemed like it was easier to bend the flat sheets of plywood from the top and I didn't want to crouch a lot. My plan was just to do a hack job on the deck then put textured kiwi grip or something to hide any imperfections there was a TON of spider cracks I had to grind down all over in the texture (basketball sized round areas) so it would never look good.

You can get whatever hose for whatever sized bilge pump you get.

I can take pics of my bilge system. But yes that's probably a bilge hose. The battery part is a mystery to me as I seen the battery bracket but didn't have one there so I don't know if the hose went behind it or around it.

I learned about Butyl tape here and that has been really awesome for sealing up all the deck hardware. It is so easy to use. look it up if you don't know about it its awesome. Between that and captain trolley's creeping crack cure my boat doesn't leak one drop in a torrential downpour.
 

Seadoc

.
Aug 4, 2016
36
Macgregor 25 Virginia
Thanks for the follow-up. Yeah, butyl tape is great! What is "captain trolley's creeping crack cure"?