- Action: To Do List item A0225 - Repair damage areas on rudder; sand and apply epoxy resin coat.
- Completed: 9 November 2017
- Cost: $66.99
The rudder was originally removed to enable the removal and replacement of the primary zinc mounted to the aft hull above the propeller. Since the rudder was on the ground, supported with wood blocks, it was very convenient to sand, as one could sit in a chair while sanding. As the multiple layers of paint came off, the base gel coat was exposed revealing numerous cracks in this layer. It was decided to sand down to bare fiber glass. With the paint removed, found a hole in the rudder exposing the closed cell foam inner core and allowing the intrusion of water inside the rudder. As the rudder was built in two pieces sandwiched together, the removal of paint exposed this seam, and water was observed oozing out of the rudder. Two 1/2-inch pilot holes were drilled through the rudder to aid in draining any internal residue water. However, these holes were dry - the holes were latter closed out with epoxy mixed with silica. The rudder hole was ground down with a grinder. Then six layers of fiber glass cloth was layered over the area and epoxied in-place. The rudder seam also had fiber glass cloth layered over it and epoxied.
The upper portion of the rudder was made of wood and this was sanded bare removing all previous layers of varnish. The holes through the wood for the tiller handle 1/2-inch mount bolt had approximately a 1/4-inch depression in the wood on both exterior sides caused by using too small of a washer under the mount bolt head and nut. This area was sanded clean and then filled with epoxy thickened with silica to bring it back flush with the surface of the wood. Then three layers of Interlux Schooner Gold Varnish ($41.99) was applied to the wood. The bare rudder fiber glass surface had two layers of West System 105 Epoxy Resin with 206 Hardener applied as a base coat. The cost for sand paper, brushes, fiber glass cloth, and epoxy resin is estimated at approximately $25.00. The final painting and varnishing of the rudder will be accomplished after it is mounted back on the boat.
The following video shows the mounting of the rudder. The rudder, which weighs over 400 pounds, was hoisted up by rope run through a block. Four Filipino workers assisted with the lift while I was up top to guide the upper pin into the gudgeon.
The three pintle fittings on the rudder slide into gudgeons mounted on the aft hull of the boat. Theses pintles have a large pin with a hole drilled through them where a cotter pin is inserted to prevent the rudder from lifting up and falling off. The upper pintle pin had no cotter pin hole. A cotter pin was installed on the middle and lower pintle pins.
