450: Rudder Rope Burn

[Jimmy30379]

Hello Everyone,

It looks like my 2016 Lagoon 450F suffered some rudder damage back in February and March, while it was being transported from Peru to California.

It looks like a rope got caught on the starboard rudder and dug a gash into the rudder, the gash is around 1 to 1.5 inches deep.

I have attached photos of the damage below.

The steering does not seem to have been effected by this damage

The questions are:
Can this be repaired with an underwater epoxy?
Or do I need to haul out the boat and pull the rudder to repair it?
Being this damage is several months old, is this an emergency that I would have to haul the boat right away? or could I deal with this the next time I do the bottom paint on the vessel (probably a year or two away)?

Any insight would be appreciated.

-Jimmy

[SVHarmonie]

To understand the problem, you have to have an idea about how most rudders are constructed. There is a (usually) stainless steel shaft, and (usually) welded to the shaft is a web of metal bars. The rudder is built in two halves, filled with foam, and then assembled around the shaft and web.

What kills rudders is water intrusion. Stagnant, oxygen free, saltwater soaking around the shaft and web corrodes the welds attaching the web to the shaft. This environment also promotes cracking of the stainless steel. When the web breaks or detaches from the shaft, the shaft is free to spin inside the rudder, and steering is lost.

I think it is fair to say the inside of your rudder is soaking in salt water.

The CORRECT fix is to remove the rudder, cut the two halves apart, remove the water saturated foam inside, CAREFULLY inspect the stainless steel parts for corrosion, and rebuild it. Anything less is a botch job and, eventually, corrosion will win and the rudder will fail.

Depending on local yard rates, it might be easier, and cheaper to have Lagoon make you a new rudder, if they can still do that.

[MikeFergie]

Not sure on the lagoons but on my leopard you can drop the rudder while the boat is in the water. Take it out and even sail with one out while you get it sorted.