Orana 44: 130 Sail Drives to Hull Rubber Fairing

[pstadt]

Hi all, getting ready to haul the boat for a bottom job and just discovered one of my rubber fairing boots has finally started to rip where it meets the sail drive. This is the boot external to the hull that is glued to the hull and just rides on the sail drive.

I'm looking for a source for these boots so I can replace both next month.

Thanks!

Pat

[Adonf46]

Originally Posted by pstadt

Hi all, getting ready to haul the boat for a bottom job and just discovered one of my rubber fairing boots has finally started to rip where it meets the sail drive. This is the boot external to the hull that is glued to the hull and just rides on the sail drive.

I'm looking for a source for these boots so I can replace both next month.

Thanks!

Pat

These are a Volvo parts readily available from any good Volvo dealer , I use to replace mine every two years to be on the safe side
Cheers

[Helia 44]

They look important...
They are really NOT important..

It is a simple boot, to keep barnacles and such from growing up in the joint. IT IS NOT a water seal, that is why it is a glue on. I did not like the semi-sloppy fit and made the inquiry and yes available from just about any Volvo Dealer, but NO not really important, not a water seal, an organism seal... So I did not bother replacing mine with their apparent sloppy fit, as it was just a "Lickum and Stickum" rubber to keep out the dock growth from forming...



Helia 44, now on Steroid all grown up to a Swartsnegger Saba 50

[Adonf46]

Well I guess that if you ignore the drag created when they start to split then yes , “ not important “ m

[belizesailor]

I bought non-Volvo branded skirts this past season for less than half the price of USA Volvo branded skirts. Identical in every detail and seem to be equal quality, suspect they are in fact the same just not private label.

Have done fine for a season. These are ultimately consumables so why spend more.

I dont have the link handy, but IIRC the vendor was British. A little google-** should turn them up.

In addition to a relatively minor fairing affect, they do help a LOT in keeping marine growth down inside the sail drive cavity...where its hard to clean out. I like this because hard growth which could chafe the bellows could be a bad thing, as could damaging same while trying to clean it out.

However, a more durable solution would be better...just remember that it has to be flexible to accomodate sail drive movement.

Originally Posted by Adonf46

These are a Volvo parts readily available from any good Volvo dealer , I use to replace mine every two years to be on the safe side
Cheers

[Privilege]

I made mine for my Yanmar from a trucks mud-flaps. Slightly thicker material, much cheaper and they have lasted several seasons.

[rabbi]

I replaced mine with 2mm hard PVC cut to size and glued in place with MS polymer glue. The hole for the saildrive leg needs to be oversized to allow for vibrations. These should last for years

[rmaher]

Hey Pat - You may have seen this on ebay: https://ebay.com/itm/Mounting-Rubber...oAAOSwjyhaAK6K

Truck flaps sound interesting too as I saw some that were 36"x24" for $12.

Hope you all are well! - Rob Maher

[belizesailor]

I like the mud flaps idea, why pay stoopid $$$ for a bit of molded rubber.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by rmaher

Hey Pat - You may have seen this on ebay: https://ebay.com/itm/Mounting-Rubber...oAAOSwjyhaAK6K

...

Ah, there it is. Thats the one I ordered last season. Identical to Volvo resold item, at half the price.