[Public-list] Making the Rudder Watertight

[George Dinwiddie]

Lincoln Finkenberg wrote:
> Does all that epoxy and fiberglass that I encased the rudder in act
> as a complete water seal? Or do I go get gel coat and put that on as
> well or some of that 3M stuff?  Oddly, in reading about the gel coat
> it said do not apply on epoxy (or maybe it was with).  Any insight to
> insure water sealed rudder is VERY helpful.  Mike - next time I'm
> going with Coosa (light and can get wet).

Gel coat is polyester, and won't stick to epoxy.  If you did the layup 
with epoxy, that's relatively waterproof stuff, but doesn't like 
sunlight.  I would paint it with something to protect it from UV when 
the boat's out of the water, and to give it a final seal against any 
pinholes.

> In securing the pintle to the rudder -  would you have the pin slip
> in above the gudgeon or below? Somebody just pick heads or tails for
> me - I just can't figure one way or the other.

Assuming you're talking about 2-piece gudgeons that fit around the 
pintle, rather than open-ended pintles like on a transom hung rudder, it 
doesn't matter where the play is.  The gudgeons don't contron 
up-and-down movement.  That's what the rudder shoe is for.

> It looked like the bolts that held the rudder shoe on (they came
> right out) were tapped/threaded into the fiberglass. Is that right?
> My thought is to go one size larger with - 5/16" - and "permanently"
> secure them with some sort of epoxy filler combo after
> taping/threading the hole.

Go to a larger size if you need to, but remember you'll need to pull the 
shoe off every few years to check the pin.  I would use 5200 to bed the 
shoe.  When you need to remove it, heat the shoe with a propane torch to 
soften the 5200.

  - George


-- 
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   When I remember bygone days                         George Dinwiddie
   I think how evening follows morn;            gdinwiddie at alberg30.org
   So many I loved were not yet dead,           http://www.Alberg30.org
   So many I love were not yet born.
                                             'The Middle' by Ogden Nash
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