Thread: Ruddy rudder repair advice

to add pic's go to manage attachments ,
Jeff

https://www.woodworkforums.com/attach...1&d=1335054844

https://www.woodworkforums.com/attach...1&d=1335054844

https://www.woodworkforums.com/attach...1&d=1335054844

oh well that is some attemps at posting photos.

I have been digging wet soft wood and am comming to the conclusion that a botch up aint the solution.......

May have to replace sides of rudder and do magic ........with my limited abilities..

Dude,

With what I can see on your Pic's I agree that you would probably be better off, replacing the whole lot!!!!

use the old pieces for templates , If you cannot get solid timber then , I recommend that you laminate with GOOD QUALITY PLYWOOD, then glass with epoxy resin, and some 450-600grm cloth.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Jeff

Thanks VK4............. so marine ply is stronger than wood?

Which brings me back to my 1st question what type of wood is my rudder made of???

Mate reckons it's hard wood.....

another newby question 'epoxy' that's arildite right or is if resin which is used in fiber glassing???

The Bluebird's rudder is an edge glued laminate, though not sure
of the common species used. The cheek pieces also appear solid wood.

I would not recommend plywood for any portion of this rudder assembly,
as it's just not well suited to the types of loads that this 22' boat will place on it.

The reasonable choice is a strip planked rudder blade and solid or built up
cheeks, both from a moderately dense softwood.

To answer your question, no, marine plywood isn't stronger then solid wood,
especially in this application.

> http://mothboat.tripod.com/CMBA/Building/foils.htm < Read this and get
familiar with it's contents. This is the way to build rudder blades that will hold
up and it's not very hard, unless you're anal about foil shapes. You can sheath
with cloth or not.

Also log onto: Epoxy by the Leading Epoxy Manufacturer | WEST SYSTEM Epoxy
and www.systemthree.com and down load their user's guide, which will tell you
about resins, hardeners and the like.

I dislike wooden cheeks, except when varnished or required for the "aesthetics"
element. I prefer aluminum or stainless plates on each side of the rudder. In your
situation the rudder only needs localized reinforcement, so cheeks are not as
important as they are on a kick-up rudder. Nice pieces of hardwood, varnished
up will work for you. If not varnished, skip the fuss and laminate up some thinner
layers of scraps you have around the shop. Fill and paint to suit.

Simply put, once you've got these types of issues, you probably have a several
other areas on the blade and cheeks that aren't far behind. The logical route is
to just build a new rudder and cheeks assembly.

Thanks very much par.....I was thinking of using stainless steel plates to reinforce cheekplates.. will be the way I go...thanks.

That rudder isn't very highly loaded, so stainless cheeks are a bit of over kill. Some nicely
stained hunks of pretty hardwood, will look great and serve the same purpose, probably for
less fuss and money too. It's your call, but you do need a new assembly, that's for sure.

Some feedback woodworkers

Disassembled rudder and cut out rotten wood.

Got some spotted gum from Belmont mitre 10 they sell more than just pine.

cut out cheek plates and new top bit.

May as well grind paint from rudder blade



Glued rudder together with that epoxy glue and staino screws.

Glassing the rudder blade.

I glassed the entire rudder and tiller and used a flow coat epoxy above waterline.





then went took rudder to Hilary and suprise suprise it fits.



There is some more woodwork to do to Hilary and will post up projects as they accure now I'm off to do a bit of test sailing......just gotta wait till the wind blows


maybe someone from the admin team could move this thread to the boat repairs section.



dude

Nice job!. Must be very satisfying.