Sealant/Gasket for rudder gudgeon

jobrantley · #1 04-20-2009

Hi all,

I just had my boat hauled for the first time.....a very nerve wracking experience as I'm sure you all know. Watching your boat sway in the slings just a short distance from the ground can't be good for general health.

Anyway, I am planning on buffing/polishing/waxing the hull and doing some bottom paint as well. As I was walking around the boat knocking off some barnacles I noticed the bottom paint that was used around my rudder gudgeon (I think this is the right term) was starting to peel away. So I pulled on it a little and then realized there was some sort of sealant (white caulk rubbery like material) underneath the paint that fills in the gap between the gudgeon and the keel. After pulling on it a little more I had removed most of the sealant/gasket.
So...now I need to replace it. What do you think I should use. I am tempted to use 3m 4200 Fast cure but after reading some posts on here about the evilness of said product I am wondering if there is something more applicable. I will only have the boat out of the water for another week so anything with very long cure times might not be the best.
Thanks in advance for your help,
Jon

sailingdog · #2 04-20-2009

What are the gudgeon's made of? If they're bronze, they shouldn't be bottom painted more likely than not. Use the 3M 4200 fast cure.... it should be fine for that use, but I do have to ask if the gap beneath the gudgeon and the keel really should be there or if it should be built up with thickened epoxy to remove the gap instead.

Without more information and possibly photos, it isn't possible to tell.

donhaller · #3 04-20-2009

I just mounted two new gudgeons the other day. I used 5200 to bed the hardware. I also read all of Maine Sail's information on bedding hardware and looked over photos he showed in various threads. There is a ton of good information here if you sift through all of it and get what you need. I try to stick as close as I can to what the experienced guys here have to offer.

My gudgeons are tight and fast to the transom with no gap. I did get squeeze out but wiped of the excess before it hardened. Additionally, I don't know how your boat is constructed but on my C&C there was little room if any to get to the top gudgeon nuts from the inside of the hull. So be prepared for a tedious job if you plan on removing and replacing the gudgeons. It would be a lot easier with two people also.

donhaller · #4 04-20-2009

Well, going back over some of the other posts.... looks like the guy at West Marine mislead me with the tube of 5200.

I thought I had it down but I got sucked in. Apparently I never have to worry about those gudgeons coming loose in the future!!!

Stick with 4200 or something else altogether.

jobrantley · #5 04-20-2009

Guys thanks for the suggestions. Yeah after reading a bunch of those pots I figured the 4200 was the lesser of two evils

I think the gudgeon is bronze....the gudgeon itself wasn't painted but the caulk/sealant between it and the keel had some paint on it. You bring up a good point about the gap and if it should be epoxied.....hmmmmmm...this project could be growing teeth

thanks,
Jon