New Rudder

[Alan Wheeler]

Firstly thanks to all that have helped over time with Rudder info and stern bearing info and Props and and and. The boat successfuly went back in the water today. New Rudder works great. I haven't gone anywhere yet, but manouvering from slipway to marina birth I noticed a marked improvement. The boat literaly "turns on a dime". The internal volume is approx 330ltrs and is full of expanding foam. Just incase I have a pin hole or two in the welds. The bouyancy the rudder has given the boat is huge. It has raised the stern by three or four inches when afloat and the boat sits level on the painted water line now. I hope that's good.
The stern bearing was fine by the way. The prop came off with reasonable ease. Now here was an interesting leason for me. I had the yard guy helping me. I placed plenty of pressure on the hydraulic pullers and he simply poured some hot water over the prop body and it poped right off.
I was amazed by how clean the hull was for 2.5yrs of being in the water. The Altex Devoe AF3000 anti-foul has worked very well for these waters. But even the prop was reasonably clean.
I have placed photo's in the gallery due to their size.
Unfortunately, the topsides now look shabby. But that is going to have to wait. End of next year will be a repaint. We will strip back all the old fouling layers and take the blue back to the epoxy coating and start again with a fresh pallete.