Rudder Box Help

[austingm]

Whilst the boat is on the hard, we decided to look into the leaking rudders and removed all rudder hardware.

It appears that the hole in the wooden box is larger than the hole in the hull and it seems that it was not cut with a hole saw but small holes were drilled next to each other to make the big hole.

Overall, the wood seems to be solid, however, the oversize hole needs to be addressed. My mechanic is suggesting waxing the packing tube, fitting it temporarily in place and filling the void with west systems epoxy in order to create an even hole which will require less Sika to bed.

The packing tube will then be removed and re-installed with the adequate sealer.

Any idea whether this will work or any suggestions for an alternative fix?

Photos look worse than in person and all the rust is due to the yard using steel bolts instead of SS bolts.

 

[bayview]

Is this a wood boat?

Do the bolts go through the bottom?

 

[Sailor of Fortune]

Gougeon Brothers (West System Book) has a rudder port repair that they wax the rudder stock itself and inject thickened epoxy in to the area around it, effectively using the rudder post as the mold.
You would have to see if this a trick that would work in your particular situation.
The Gougeon book is a very good guide for all kinds of boat related projects.

 

[austingm]

Is this a wood boat?

Do the bolts go through the bottom?

Boat is a fibreglass 14.7m 1980 C-kip built by C&L

The rudder ports are wooden blocks set on top of the fibreglass hull and encased in fibreglass.

 

[Capt.Bill11]

What you mechanic has suggested should work.

 

[FF]

There can be a reasonable load on the rudder hole , it just doesn't keep water out.

I would tap a piece of scrap wood in the hole , and use a real hole saw on center to create a larger round hole.

A bronze bushing or a teak wood bushing would be create to fix the size difference , and epoxied in place.

No question cleaning the wood area and covering the unit with aluminum foil (as parting agent) and using dense heavy filled epoxy should also work.

The question would be which will be easier to repair / replace after a log or the bottom loads everything high enough to bend.

Everything needs rebedding ...eventually

 

[bayview]

What your mechanic suggests would work but I would add only after cutting everything back to good wood.

 

[chc]

I used the rudder port repair Sailor refers to on our Californian 34. Calls for drilling holes in the port; thoroughly waxing the shaft (that would be really, really, thoroughly); then injecting a West system mix, of silica & graphite. Let cure, pull the shaft, grease & reinsert. Worked well for me; especially after we got the shaft unstuck & turning again.

 

[Xsbank]

I would cut it back to good wood like Bayview suggests and add another block above the existing and glass that in place. There is a lot of torque on a rudder and what I can see from the photos that area is suspect.

 

[Lutarious]

I would grind the whole block off, replace it and glass in the new block as well as the hole in the hull below. Now you have a fresh start. Drill it with the correct hole saw and install the way it was meant to be installed.

 

[Capt.Bill11]

If the wood really is in good shape all around the holes I would do what your mechanic suggested and go boating. I mean you'll be in better shape than the original manufacturers work and look how long that lasted.

 

[FF]

IF the wood is water soaked , and will be wet all the time , replacement of the wood is a better choice.

The wood bushing with resorcinol glue would be fine , but epoxy with always wet epoxy is less than good.

Read this months Wooden Boat article on glues for conformation..