Wet Rudder

[Bill of Sandpiper]

I know my rudder has absorbed a lot of water over the last few years of fresh water sailing. It now looks like swiss cheese as I have drilled numerous holes through it to dry it out. I will fill the holes with foam and then glass over with 10 oz. cloth and epoxy. Problem - anyone have any idea what a dry H-33 rudder should weigh? If I knew that, I would be reasonably sure of having dried out all the H2O.

 

[Ed Schenck]

Ask the manufacturer?

That's an interesting question and I think the people who make the rudders for Hunter might answer that. You can find them in the archives I think, a Florida company whose name escapes me.But the moisture is only part of the problem. If the core has been that wet for an extended time shouldn't you be concerned about the post and flange? If the metal has deteriorated you could have a solid and dry rudder that just spins on the post. This fall I plan to open my rudder by cutting out one side. After twenty years I want to be sure there is still a solid connection between the f/g and the rudder post.

 

[Ron B]

Ed has a good point.

One of the companies that manufactures the Hunter rudders is "Foss" (sp?). You should check the archives on rudder repair; there was a discussion along this line a couple of months ago. On Ed's point, was the color of the water indicative of rust within the rudder's frame? If there was a lot of orange water, or metal fragments, you might worry about the integrity of the internal grid. Can we get insurance to pay for a MRI for the rudder? Good luck. Ron

 

[Tom M.]

Three ways it takes on water

!st: from where the post enters the rudder, 2nd cracks and seams on the rudder, 3rd from the top of the post, in the cockpit, If you live in an area where water freezes, the rudder will split, when the water inside turns to ice, so be careful. my boat, item 3 was the culpret, I remedied the problem. by taking the dark blue bottom cap, of a 2 liter pepsi bottle and used it as a cover for the emergency tiller socket.