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Old 05-03-2018, 06:34   #1
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Rudder crack advice please

I bought my Skimmer 25 a year ago and have been working on her until I launched her three weeks ago. When I bought her she had some cracks in the rudder just below the tiller, both fore and aft. I took it off, Dremeled, out the cracks down about 1/4" , filled with epoxy, fared, and painted. In retrospect, I probably should have realized the cracks didn't just happen, and there was a structural issue causing it in the 1st place, because my remedy didn't even make it through 3 hrs sailing in 8-12 wind.

Take a look at these pictures and please offer thoughts. There are only 25 of these boats, the builder is deceased, I've not been able to find any other owners or a forum, so specific approaches others with this problem are not happening. My thoughts now are one of these two below, or both after doing again what I did the first time.

1. Have new stainless plates made, but have them lengthened 6 or so inches.
2. Have the new ones made at double the current thickness.
3. Do both

I look forward to the thoughts and suggestions I usually get from you folks!
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Old 05-03-2018, 07:12   #2
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Re: Rudder crack advice please

Are you sure it's cracked, and not a laminated rudder ! From what I can tell it looks like a 3 piece laminate . If it is, it probably just needs to have the laminate edges reamed, and filled ! I would lash the rudder it self, and then move the tiller, to see if the cracks expand. Then you can tell if you have an actual problem, or not !
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Old 06-03-2018, 12:21   #3
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Re: Rudder crack advice please

Thanks Mike. When you say "lash" the rudder. Do you mean find a way to bind it stationary, then move the tiller, which will apply pressure to allow me to see if they expand or not?
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Old 06-03-2018, 16:29   #4
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Re: Rudder crack advice please

Yes ! I don't really see any other way to check the integrity of the unit itself ! Good luck! Hopefully only a minor problem !
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Old 06-03-2018, 16:51   #5
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Re: Rudder crack advice please

The cracks on the rudder seems to be from wet core, the water evaporates and tries to leave from. The core and cracks the fiberglass or the gel coat on the top of the rudder.
I would remove all the screws from the rudder and :
1)let it dry
2)expand all the screw holes double the size and fill with epoxy or polyester then drill the holes again this way the core will be water proof.
3)grind fair and repaint.
4)doesnt seem like critical damage but you should fix it before it gets worse.
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Old 06-03-2018, 16:54   #6
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Re: Rudder crack advice please

Screw or through bolted?

Looks like through bolts. But, are two of them loose in that second pic?

Looks like large enough plates, if the clamping force is there. Larger plates can't hurt, or introduce some engineering concern.
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Old 06-03-2018, 17:04   #7
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Re: Rudder crack advice please

It looks like 2of the bolts are loose were they tight? Did the rudder compress if you take the bolts out you might be able to see how the rudder is made
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Old 06-03-2018, 20:56   #8
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Re: Rudder crack advice please

They look like screws and when you applied force to the tiller it has resulted in pulling the wood of the rudder stock apart. remove the screws, drill the holes right through and put through bolts in and your problem is solved.
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Old 06-03-2018, 22:39   #9
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Re: Rudder crack advice please

Have we determined that the rudder is made of some sort of timber rather than glass over foam? Sure looks like it to me, but if you "Dremelled" it out you should know for sure. It's shape does not suggest a glass/foam structure to me... the small radii on the corners would be a bitch to lay up and there is no reason to shape one that way.

If it is glued up from slabs of timber or ply, then through bolting and applying considerable clamping force should be ok. The cheek plates look quite adequate for a smallish boat. I'm a little concerned about the tiller and it's connection to the rudder. Looks a sloppy fit and with minimal clamping , so you might want to have another look there as well.

Good luck, and let us know what you discover.

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Old 07-03-2018, 00:49   #10
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Re: Rudder crack advice please

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Cate View Post
I'm a little concerned about the tiller and it's connection to the rudder. Looks a sloppy fit and with minimal clamping , so you might want to have another look there as well.


Agreed!
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Old 08-03-2018, 11:37   #11
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Re: Rudder crack advice please

Expanding on what Jim said: All the bending force on the plates where they are through bolted to the tiller is concentrated on one point, and the pictures show the plate having bent right there. Whatever needs to be done with the rudder itself, the tiller needs better connection to the rudder. Two bolts much closer to the bottom edge of the tiller and two higher would give those plates very little opportunity to bend.
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