Mysterious black stuff...

[ArmySailor]

Ahoy! I have a strange problem and seek all Sherlock Holmes as to the cause and sage advice on a solution.

Bought this sailboat in March of this year after a survey on the hard. It was splashed right after purchase and I sailed it all season. A lot. (a lot!)

She was just pulled out 5 days ago, no issues. I pulled her on Thursday and when I came back on Saturday I saw this streak of black mark down the rudder that was NOT there when we hauled her. It looks like water drained down the rudder post. (stern hung rudder) Could water be up in the rudder like that and drain out? Why would it be black like that? What could be in it that caused the strange brown color and blueing on the edge? It's crazy.

We pulled the rudder off (it was a BEAST, easily over 100lbs). It's held on by a simple pintle (spelling?) at the bottom, with the massive post sitting in a brass receiving hole. About 3 feet up it's held on by a bracket with a brass ring bolted to the stern. Not sure what that's called.

Anyway. Fellow boater suggested that I drill 5-6 holes in the bottom of the rudder and let it drain / dry, then seal up everything with 610. (there are a few places I think water could get in - the bare areas of the rudder post, at the top there is teak and thrubolts, etc.

Any ideas??! Thanks team!

[DeepFrz]

Could be rust and rotting core. Drill a few holes in the very bottom of the rudder and see if water drains out.

[deblen]

A link to photos of the inside metal framework in various rudders.
The concern of water inside a rudder is that the metal framework rusts away & the rudder post just spins without turning the rudder.

Drain holes,as suggested,is the first step in determining the seriousness of the situation. / Len

https://www.google.ca/search?q=sailb...w=1366&bih=667