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<DIV><FONT size=2>To: Doug Wight & Richard Hazlegrove</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Last week I hauled Rubicon out and spent 8 hours grinding out
the fiberglass around the packing gland (stuffing box). I used a dremel
tool like Richard suggested (works great) and dug down as far as I dared.
I would have gone further but I wasn't sure of the exact length of the
gland. In any case I went down about one and a half inches aft of the box
and about an inch in front. I glassed in the first half one day and
finished the job the next day. There is now 2 inches of new glass behind
the gland (a lot of cloth as well) and about 3 inches in front right up to the
threads on the bronze. It may have failed in the beginning because not
enough glass was put in (a guess). I put the boat back in after two days
curing and it is absolutely dry. This also gave me a chance to check out
the prop shaft for leaks as well. I couldn't before because of the water
leaking over it. It is dry. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>My biggest problem initially was to keep the glass from
running down the hull into the bilge, so I put a dam of cardboard in the way
until I got a bit of buildup. After the initial buildup I used West System
404 filler to thicken the glass although I used straight glass with the
cloth. The result seems to be very satisfactory. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>I am also wondering if the stress of the Edson wheel system
contributed to the failure. The cables exert quite a pull on the quadrant
and post.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Hope you get the message Doug, I don't have your
address.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Thanks again gentlemen for your help.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Peter Hay</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Rubicon KC384</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>London, Ontario Canada</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>phay@netcom.ca</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A href="mailto:doug@recorder.ca" title=doug@recorder.ca>Douglas Wight</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A href="mailto:alberg30@onelist.com"
title=alberg30@onelist.com>alberg30@onelist.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, May 05, 1999 10:16
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [alberg30] Rudder
problem</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>From: Doug Wight</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>
Owlet, #603 </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Peter:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>I thought that I was the only one with the very problem that
you have described. After I purchased my boat (without a survey) I very
quickly learned that there was water gathering in the bilge which had to be
pumped out every day and whenever I was under sail or power it took on
considerably more water. With a strong lantern I could see a steady
stream of water running down from around the rudder stock gland. When
Owlet was lifted onto the hard in the fall and the rudder removed the entire
bronze fitting had to be cut out and sub</FONT><FONT size=2>sequently
re-glassed in.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>When my hull was laid up initially there must have been a
poor bonding of the hull to the gland. It was a big job and I am quite
thankful that I removed almost everything out of the boat because there was
one deuce of a mess of fiber-glass grindings. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>It is wonderful the things that you don't learn untill after
you have closed a deal. It was then that I learned that my engineer friend,
from who I purchased the boat, went down to the marina every day to pump Owlet
out. He had signed a legal affidavit that amongst several items listed
the hull was in sound condition and there were no known problems. He had
sold the boat following open heart surgery and my better half would not hear
of me pursuing the matter through legal channels. Always get a survey
and don't rely on a friends word. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Let me know how you make out. Regards,
Doug.</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A href="mailto:phay@netcom.ca" title=phay@netcom.ca>Peter Hay</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A
href="mailto:alberg30@onelist.com"
title=alberg30@onelist.com>alberg30@onelist.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> May 4, 1999 7:43 PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [alberg30] Rudder
problem</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>From: Peter Hay</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000
size=2> Rubicon
#384</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000
size=2> <A
href="mailto:phay@netcom.ca">phay@netcom.ca</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>Just put my boat in the water.
Discovered that I have a leak where the rudder shaft exits the inside of the
hull. My boat has Edson steering so the quadrant is attached to the
shaft just above the point where the shaft exits the hull into the
boat. When the quadrant turns a crack opens up (very slight) in the
glass where the shaft exits. An intermittent stream comes in but stops
(or slows) once pressure on the steering is removed. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>I guess I have two questions. 1)
Will an underwater epoxy allow me to do a temporary repair until haul out in
the fall (I have never used it). </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000
size=2>
2) Does anyone have any idea of whether this might be a structural
problem. I am assuming that I can do a permanent fix after haul out by
grinding down the glass and building the area up again. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>The shaft is fine where it exits the
cockpit, so the upper part of the shaft is well supported. The lower
pintles, etc. are fine. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Unfortunately I knew about the leak when I bought the
boat, but I thought that the water was simply coming up the shaft.
Observation (albeit late) has now taught me to not take anything for
granted.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Hope someone has some ideas.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Thanks</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Peter</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>