[Public-list] Rudder Repair - New Method - Advice Welcome

[Michael Connolly]

Austin,
Welcome to the wonderful world of the Alberg 30.
I would not rely on an Epoxy bond to fasten the sleeve to the rudder stock.  There is a tremendous torque on this part and I don't know about Epoxy resin and a constant underwater environment.  I also have questionable rudder repairs on my rudder from a previous owner.  Would be good to determine what others have done to maintain/repair their A30 rudders.
Michael

Austin Meyermann <somedaysailor2000 at yahoo.com> wrote:
Hello to all!

I am the new owner of Inherit the Wind (formerly owned my Mike McGovern). I bought her last May and sailed her from Green Point to Young's Boatyard. On that note, that was my first time captaining a sailboat, my only crew was a friend who had never sailed, and we got into enough wind to take in a reef on the main! But what a day!! We had a blast and she sailed great. 

I have sailed her most of this year with gear in marginal shape. I figured that this year was my year to sail all that I could and I could fix anything over winter.....well, I did not make it to winter. 

A month ago, I left my slip and was motoring down the channel when I lost steerage. This resulted in a swim to shore, a tow from Phil (the owner of Young's and a great guy), and a haul out. 

The 1/4" pins that attach the rudder stock to the rudder had sheared (no zincs below the waterline). Additionally, the gudgeon that attaches to pintle in the rudder was cracked...stainless steel bolts through the bronze....again no zincs.

So....this leaves me now with a fun project. Please advise on fixing the gudgeon, I know these are not a off the shelf item (far from it). Should I get a new one machined (don't want to because I think that it would be expensive)? 

With regard to the other problem with the pins, I think that I have a novel solution. I am going to install a sleeve (1.25" ID) over the rudder stock (1.25" OD) and on that sleeve I am going to weld 2 vanes. The vanes will hug the rudder on both sides and I will cross bolt through the vanes and rudder. To attach the sleeve to the rudder stock, I will use epoxy. The vans should displace the force over the length of the welded on the sleeve and give superior strength to the traditional .25" pins. 

Any thoughts? 

I look forward to hearing from and meeting you all soon!!!


Austin & Lucy Meyermann
#365 
Inherit the Wind


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