I'm getting water in the rudder of my 1988 C-30. I drilled drip holes in the bottom of the rudder when I pulled the boat this weekend...which just drips, no gusher. I'm looking for suggestions on how to fix the problem.
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Allen
One Approach
Hey Dave, I had the same problem in my boat, with a lot of rust coming out the the drip holes. One approach was to take a small drill with a cutting tool and cut around the perimeter of the rudder about 1/4 inch to take off the fiberglass to survey the damage inside. I was told that you could fortify the hardware
Hey Dave, I had the same problem in my boat, with a lot of rust coming out the the drip holes. One approach was to take a small drill with a cutting tool and cut around the perimeter of the rudder about 1/4 inch to take off the fiberglass to survey the damage inside. I was told that you could fortify the hardware
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Bob Camarena
I had a similar problem
I had a similar problem a couple of years ago on my '81. In my case, I was repairing a blister on the rudder and discovered moisture oozing from the foam in addition to draining as you describe. I kept chipping away the foam and ended up with a couple of soup bowl sized "holes" in the rudder. I then had trouble getting anything to bond to the wet foam and finally had the yard finish the job. As I recall it cost about $300. I haven't had the boat out of the water since, but it seems to be holding up OK.
I had a similar problem a couple of years ago on my '81. In my case, I was repairing a blister on the rudder and discovered moisture oozing from the foam in addition to draining as you describe. I kept chipping away the foam and ended up with a couple of soup bowl sized "holes" in the rudder. I then had trouble getting anything to bond to the wet foam and finally had the yard finish the job. As I recall it cost about $300. I haven't had the boat out of the water since, but it seems to be holding up OK.
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DRD
Same Problem
When I pull my 88 30 each fall.I drop the rudder out and store it at home! I started doing this after seeing other 30s of the same year that had water in the rudder freeze and pop out the fiberglass. I usually get about two cups of water out of the rudder stock when I lay it down on its side. One thing I have thought of would be to fill the rudder stock with spray foam insulation. But you would need to make sure all the water was out.
When I pull my 88 30 each fall.I drop the rudder out and store it at home! I started doing this after seeing other 30s of the same year that had water in the rudder freeze and pop out the fiberglass. I usually get about two cups of water out of the rudder stock when I lay it down on its side. One thing I have thought of would be to fill the rudder stock with spray foam insulation. But you would need to make sure all the water was out.
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Chuck
Safe Removal of Rudder
DRD and others- in your experience of removing the rudder each year -- do you have any tips suggestions for a safe and effective removal of the rudder. Also, is there any way of doing preventive maintenance to the shaft seal in order to keep the water out? Thx...
DRD and others- in your experience of removing the rudder each year -- do you have any tips suggestions for a safe and effective removal of the rudder. Also, is there any way of doing preventive maintenance to the shaft seal in order to keep the water out? Thx...
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DRD
Rudder removal
The removal is the easy part. I use a hydralic floor jack and wood blocks to reach the rudder. I have a trailer so I am alittle higher off the ground then a cradle. Raise the rudder about an inch or so with the jack. Then you can remove the bolt on the top of the rudder stock you will need to loosen the four bolts that hold the two piece aluminum quadrent(?). I would like to know how I get water in the rudder stock! Because every year I get about 2 cups of water out of it. As far as a seal the rudder on my 88 30 is just fibberglassed around the stock. When I install the rudder I just put a light grease coat on the stock.
The removal is the easy part. I use a hydralic floor jack and wood blocks to reach the rudder. I have a trailer so I am alittle higher off the ground then a cradle. Raise the rudder about an inch or so with the jack. Then you can remove the bolt on the top of the rudder stock you will need to loosen the four bolts that hold the two piece aluminum quadrent(?). I would like to know how I get water in the rudder stock! Because every year I get about 2 cups of water out of it. As far as a seal the rudder on my 88 30 is just fibberglassed around the stock. When I install the rudder I just put a light grease coat on the stock.
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BW
How did you know?
I also have an 88 C30. Is there a way to tell if you have water in the rudder without taking the boat out of the water? How did you first know you had water and how does it get in there?
I also have an 88 C30. Is there a way to tell if you have water in the rudder without taking the boat out of the water? How did you first know you had water and how does it get in there?
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DRD
Check for water
As far as water in the rudder you pretty much would need to be out of the water. If you wanted to see if you had water in the rudder stock. You might want to remove the emergancy tiller cover in the floor of the cockpit and feed some small line down the stock? What I had seen on 30's of the same year was water freezing in the rudder at the base of the stock(when the boats were dry docked). The stock is about 3/4 of the length inside the rudder. How the water gets in there I am not sure other then the drian in the cavity for the steering system gets cloged from time to time.
As far as water in the rudder you pretty much would need to be out of the water. If you wanted to see if you had water in the rudder stock. You might want to remove the emergancy tiller cover in the floor of the cockpit and feed some small line down the stock? What I had seen on 30's of the same year was water freezing in the rudder at the base of the stock(when the boats were dry docked). The stock is about 3/4 of the length inside the rudder. How the water gets in there I am not sure other then the drian in the cavity for the steering system gets cloged from time to time.
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Dave Worfel
To BW - How did I know
I suspected the rudder had water when we pulled last year (the first year we owned the boat). I thought I had water oozing out the bottom of the rudder but disounted what I saw because the boat was still not dry post pulling. In the spring, while doing work on the rudder, I sanded round the bottom edge and that's when the water started dripping out. Ultimately I found a hole in the fiberglass about an inch below where the shaft enters the boat. The glass 'round the hole was rotten and I cut it all away and rebuilt same with epoxy and high density filler. After all that work, I still had water in the rudder this fall. I also pumped a couple of cups of water out of the rudder stock going in from the top via the hole in the rudder quadrant.
I suspected the rudder had water when we pulled last year (the first year we owned the boat). I thought I had water oozing out the bottom of the rudder but disounted what I saw because the boat was still not dry post pulling. In the spring, while doing work on the rudder, I sanded round the bottom edge and that's when the water started dripping out. Ultimately I found a hole in the fiberglass about an inch below where the shaft enters the boat. The glass 'round the hole was rotten and I cut it all away and rebuilt same with epoxy and high density filler. After all that work, I still had water in the rudder this fall. I also pumped a couple of cups of water out of the rudder stock going in from the top via the hole in the rudder quadrant.
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