Rudder Fiberglass Drama CS36

[Steven UK]

Could someone give me any constructive comments on these photos and if it is serious? Should I save my money on the survey...?

More photos to follow...

[Steven UK]

More photos...

[Steven UK]

bump...

[barnakiel]

I would not go to sea without opening this up and a thorough check up.


I do not like the draft. As if the shaft does not continue into the blade. Then the blade itself becomes structural (?), and this looks cracked.


Dry / remove all paint and gelcoat. Look again.


In my book - assumed guilty, unless PROVEN otherwise.


b.

[bglad]

Originally Posted by Steven UK

bump...

I am guessing that someone cut the top of the blade below the gudgeon so they could remove the gudgeon without dropping the rudder, or it was made to do that and the fairing on the rudder fill piece has cracked. In my view does not look like a show stopper.

[CS Cruiser]

I’m sure nothing has been “cut”, that is a cap just below the gudgeon and pintle, when you sand the fairing away there will be small screws from the factory install. If you remove it you will have clearance for when you want or need to remove the bolts from each side of the gudgeon, again to expose these just sand to get at.
The pictures only show some fairing chipped off etc. It is hollow under the cap piece.. cap removed provides space for unbolted gudgeon to be lowered.

[CS Cruiser]

If you’d like Private message your email and I’ll send you pictures from when I replaced my pintle bearing.

[CS Cruiser]

Hope these attachments show detail.

[Nicholson58]

I have looked at many rudders on boats stored out of water in the north. I assume somewhere near you in Minnesota. Most of these, nearly all, are hollow foam or balsa core filled. They all leak water in and the filler is saturated. They freeze every winter. If you walk the yards in the spring around maple sugaring time you will see water weeping from most of them.

BTW Nice photos CS Cruiser

Check out the photos in my gallery for my own rudder rebuild. The foam filler in mine was gone and the skins were delaminating mush. I used solid epoxy compounded with a thick admixture of 3M microballoons as filler. Very light, strong and totally waterproof. Use US Composites 635 THIN resin. It is low viscosity and very slow reacting for long pot life and minimal heat gain in the thick pours. A search will find many more older threads and photos here on CF of rudder repairs and rebuilds.

I would plan to be fixing this if you buy. This should be considered in the price. It’s hard to guess what you will find once you get through the antifouling and any other deterioration you find.

[Steven UK]

Here is another photo of the rudder from the back it’s not vertical, I was there by myself so I couldn’t turn and watch to see if the rudder was bent or the pivot was not built straight. Anyway long story short I don’t think I will be owning this one it’s been stood a long time and needs a lot of work. Many thanks for all the answers, very informative as usual...

[Steven UK]

Try again...

[CS Cruiser]

What do you mean it’s not vertical?

[Steven UK]

Originally Posted by CS Cruiser

What do you mean it’s not vertical?

maybe it doesn't show in the photo very well but the rudder is not inline with the keel, i.e. one of them is bent. The boat has been on the hard a long time maybe the hull has settled slightly. it was too much of a project so i walked away, it did have potential though.

Regards Steven

[CS Cruiser]

Understood thanks.