[Public-List] Rudder Repairs (yes, another thread, possibly another ruder variation)

[Rachel]

Hi Andy,

I still can't believe that we're both doing this within days of each 
other.  How handy!

I'll put my comments in below:
> Fortunately for us we didn't have to grind off any of the overlaid
> glass, it just fell off in big chunks with the aid of a chisel and
> paint scraper revealing nice solid gelcoat

The after section of mind ground off easily,  but the wrap-around part 
is pretty solid.

>  My only points of minor concern
> are that the straps are weeping a bit (appears to be water either in or
> around the fairing compound, you can see it in the first and second 
> photos), and the top section of the rudder post is
> external to the rudder and I'm concerned with water intrusion behind 
> the post, perhaps where the 'skeleton' penetrates the blade (although
> I probably shouldn't be since it's been that way submerged for who?
> knows how long).?

I don't think your concern about water in the rudder is unfounded, 
since the parts inside are brass, which is subject to de-zincification 
in salt water (although you're not in salty salt water, right?)

OTOH, I think it's one of those perennial issues that (all kinds of) 
rudders leak at the top where the rudder shell meets the shaft (even 
when the shaft goes completely into the rudder, as opposed to being 
partly exposed).  With two different materials (which they usually 
are), it's very hard to get a "permanent" seal there.  Of course that 
doesn't mean one shouldn't try.

>  Like yours, the straps under the Bondo look brand new
> where I dug it out.

Yay :)
>
> Also, like you, I hate to do something that's going to make it harder
> to repair in the future.? Everything feels so solid that I'm almost
> tempted to dig out the bondo and re-fair it with something that will
> stick well, but be easy to remove next time it needs it (more Bondo?),

I'm kind of leaning the other way now.  I mean, it's not like it's 
impossible to drill or grind out fiberglass, and I can't think of any 
fairing compound (even epoxy) that you can put on in more than a 
"fairing" thickness and have it not crack out again without 
reinforcement (i.e. cloth).  I figure with the photos to hand, anyone 
in future could get into where they need to, if they need to.

That said, I might use a "lighter" thickened mixture, say, over the 
nuts, before I glass over the whole area.

> perhaps leave the mahogany but shave it down to solid dry wood and fair
> it with the same stuff (or dig it out and replace it with some teak),

I would say why use wood at all?  It will inevitably swell and cause 
cracking (the only thing that was a problem on mine).  Why not cut a 
strip of fiberglass "board" and "mush" it in with thickened epoxy, then 
glass over that? (You can buy small pieces through McMaster Carr).  You 
could just fill it with thickened epoxy, but you'd have to do it in 
several passes to avoid heat build up.

> fair the top part of the rudder post into the blade with microballoon
> thickened epoxy to make the boat faster and keep the water out
> (although I'll probably only be trapping what's in there in), and then
> have the yard paint it with the rest of the bottom later this week.

If you do use microballons, I would recommend a coating of "neat" epoxy 
over it, because microballoons are not recommended for "direct contact" 
under the waterline.  I would still glass over it if I were you - even 
if it's just a "light" layer of cloth (which will be very thin).

> I want to do the work right, but at the same time I don't want to spend
> time and money to fix something that isn't really broken, potentially
> making it worse.

With the exception of trapping water, I don't think you could really 
make it worse unless you do a really sloppy job. (And even "trapping" 
water might not be much worse than the water that's already been in 
there.  Best would be to dry it of course, but perhaps you don't have 
the time this season.

I do put some stock in the "lasted 40 years" fact; but on the other 
hand it's good to make sure that it isn't something that was going to 
break at 41...  :D

>
> I would like to see the photos of yours, particularly those from after 
> removal of some of the fairing and the wood.?

I will e-mail you some.

Rachel
  #221