Hi --
I have a 1974 Morgan 36 Out Island, and I've been grinding (and now filling and glassing) its rudder. I don't see any signs of crash damage.
The rudder was, I think, badly manufactured. The starboard side had been laid up short, and filler was used to close the gap between the port-side trailing edge and the starboard-side trailing edge.
There was a hairline crack on the bottom edge. The bottom corner had a void (filled). The top corner had old filler coming out, and exposing the core.
It leaked several cups of water when I drilled the bottom, after being in the water for 3 years. And there was a rust spot at the top of the trailing edge, where the filled port/starboard join had opened up a bit.
So I've been grinding and filling with
epoxy, and plan to put on some fiberglass reinforcing strips today. Basically, it will have a glass/epoxy "binding" around three edges, out of four.
I'm going to remove some bottom
paint from the leading edge, just to see if there's a crack there, too. Should have done that first! I think I have the work under control.
But my question is:
. . . Are these problems typical of 1970's Morgans?
. . . Are they typical of other boats from that period?
. . . Is this a Foss Foam product?
Thanks --
Charles Cohen / Right Galah / Morgan Out Island 36
Richmond, BC Canada