Cracked Rudder

weephee · #1 (**permalink**) 06-12-2010

Can anyone tell me what I should do to repair this crack. Do I simply fill with epoxy or is this a more complicated fix. Thanks

sailingdog · #2 (**permalink**) 06-12-2010

It looks like water has intruded into that rudder... that's not good. You really need to know if the rudder stock and web have been compromised or not. You can't do that without looking at them, and that requires the rudder to be cut open and then, if they are okay, you can often close it back up and re-build it fairly easily. Just filling it with epoxy may lead to the rudder failing suddenly later on, and that could be really bad.

weephee · #3 (**permalink**) 06-13-2010

Thanks sailingdog. My guess is that water was in the upper section which is hollow and it froze and split. I think the lower section which I assume holds the web, may be filled with foam. The rudder hasn't been in the water for at least two years so it should be dry now. I'm afraid if I open it up, I will never get it back together again. I guess this is part of the fun in owning a 33 year old boat.

BELLATRIX1965 · #4 (**permalink**) 06-13-2010

I'm with sailingdog - if you don't open that rudder up, you are flirting with potential disaster down the road. We had a similar problem, and upon opening the rudder found even more structural issues - later out found that a sistership actually lost her rudder due to the same problems. Bite the bullet and repair it right!

weephee · #5 (**permalink**) 06-13-2010

Thanks Bellatrix. Just one last question. How do I or how did you open it up. What did you open and how did you do it. Thanks

ulferlingsson · #6 (**permalink**) 06-13-2010

The rudder is built in two halves, joined in the midshipline. I would cut that seam open, and then grind away some fiberglass to leave space for new fiberglass and epoxy to join them together again.

sailingdog · #7 (**permalink**) 06-13-2010

If you have a oscillating saw like a fein multimaster, you can often cut along the centerline of the rudder and then separate the two halves relatively intact. That would allow you to inspect the full rudder stock and web and make sure it has not suffered crevice corrosion or other damage from the water intrusion.

oceanscapt · #8 (**permalink**) 06-13-2010

I'd open the rudder. You don't know the extent of water intrusion and how sound the rudder is. And as much as I don't want to add to your punch list, I'd give real serious consideration to stripping everything off and redoing it.

I'd make templates of the shape of the rudder, take a number of measurements and pictures, and then have at it. As important as the rudder is, I think heading on the water with one that you know is questionable is not good seamanship.

GaryHLucas · #9 (**permalink**) 06-13-2010

I split my rudder because it had severe corrosion of the aluminum shaft right at the hull/rudder gap. I was worried the corrosion went deeper. Turns out the corrosion was due to using a copper based bottom paint on the aluminum shaft! Inside the rudder the aluminum was bright and shiny. But aluminum doen't suffer from crevice corrosion like stainless. However splitting it with a 1/16" grinding wheel in a dremel, or hand grinder only took about 15 minutes. Then I removed the gelcoat on both halves all the way around so I could glass tape the two halves back together. A rudder repair really is just about the easiest fiberglass job to do.

Gary H. Lucas

bluwateronly · #10 (**permalink**) 06-13-2010

Yep,split it open to check it out. SD and lucus or right on. Just do it and fix it and go sailing. Aint half as bad as my windvane rudder and I fixed it. Yes, split it open grinded and filled with foam and glassed, good as new or better and I am rookie compared to these guys who are giving free advise. Listen, learn, do, grasshopper.