Cracked rudder, repaired by previous owner-how much should I mess with this?

Kristie E

Member
I’m looking to refinish/repair this rudder (and my daggerboard while I’m at it). I have a new tiller and extension ready to go.
I’ve read so much about this here-thanks to everyone. I’m hoping someone will have thoughts on the following:

-the blade was cracked all the way down. It has been repaired with a wooden dowel in one location. It seems to have worked, as there is almost no play in the crack at that end. Obviously, as you move to the far end, there is more movement/need of reinforcement. Should I just clean out the crack, Titebond 3 it, clamp and refinish? Or should I add another dowel toward the far/water end? I do not have a drill press…

-there’s a fair amount of damage (furry, abraded wood) under the cheek assembly. Im not sure what caused that. Has anyone seen that before? I’ll have to fill that in and hope it doesn’t continue.

I’m thinking I’ll just use Helmsman or minwax spar varnish, hanging from a wire, 6 coats or so. Though I’m not afraid of epoxy. I’ll have to purchase supplies in any case. It will not be stored in the sun.

Any thoughts you may have on the condition of this unit is appreciated. Photos to follow.
 

Attachments

  • 1EA89B1E-C79C-4196-9F5F-4EF98FCFC49B.jpeg
    1EA89B1E-C79C-4196-9F5F-4EF98FCFC49B.jpeg
    924.1 KB · Views: 69
  • 9262A53F-E010-4238-BCB5-CCC8E6088645.jpeg
    9262A53F-E010-4238-BCB5-CCC8E6088645.jpeg
    2 MB · Views: 77
  • 41265123-3E99-4DA2-BCED-1653B6831070.jpeg
    41265123-3E99-4DA2-BCED-1653B6831070.jpeg
    1.3 MB · Views: 66
  • 5BCFD155-1893-414B-B3CE-9B0EC6DF4F88.jpeg
    5BCFD155-1893-414B-B3CE-9B0EC6DF4F88.jpeg
    1.3 MB · Views: 78
  • 1BE72C25-B7DB-4C87-8EDA-0234956195B8.jpeg
    1BE72C25-B7DB-4C87-8EDA-0234956195B8.jpeg
    1.6 MB · Views: 72
Well it cant hurt to try to fix it. Worse that happens the fix does not work and you need to buy one.

I have been using an epoxy of viscosity that I can get it down deep into the crack. I will even bend the rudder to widen the crack. Then clamp it tight and clamp a flat bar to keep the wood flat.

Then peg the crack.

I have been using some stainless screws as pins. I drill in deep with a drill that gives a snug fit to the screw. Cut the head off the screw and coat with epoxy deep into the threads. Then sink them in with a metal rod marked so I know they are in the correct position. Then fill the hole with epoxy.

Not sure if that is the best fix. I have one season on a rudder fixed this way and no sign of any issues.

Lots of ways to fix these things. I am not the best wood worker so I am sure there are more elegant fixes.
 
you can try to free-hand drill holes with a really long drill bit (I did it, but probably not THAT long of a hole or as many as you'd need across that joint).

honestly, I'd probably just spring for a new wooden (or FRP) rudder and call that one a lost cause.
you can buy an after-market wooden version here: Sunfish Parts | Bobby's Boat Works (not class legal for racing)
or get the FRP one from Intensity Sails: Replica FRP Rudder Blade for the Sunfish® Sailboat (also not legal for racing)
 
Consider sanding the rudder blade rather aggressively starting with 60 grit and then 100 and then 220 and then cover both sides with fiberglass cloth (your local NAPA store sells it) and polyester resin (ditto NAPA). Sand again and brush on a flow coat of resin. This will give you a lot of strength.

Alan Glos
Cazenovia, NY
 
Lots of ways to fix these things. I am not the best wood worker so I am sure there are more elegant fixes.
Neither am I (a good woodworker). :oops:

I'd be tempted to run a Skil-saw down the entire crack--hopefully taking out all the bad wood. Then apply a bead of Thixo (thickened epoxy--$22), clamp it until it cures, sand the whole works down, varnish everything a few coats (or more, depending on the quality of the final mahogany grain appearance).

If there's a High School shop-class nearby, they'll likely fix it for free, and do a superlative job of it! :cool:
 
Thanks everybody! I’m going to sleep on it. I’ve dealt with fiberglass but all my supplies are at the lake. I could thixo the crack, but then if it fails, I’ve spent a lot of time and money varnishing. Those replica blades are tempting at $140! Race-legal is not in my future, but I guess my kids might.
I knew you all would know. Thanks so much.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tag
Thanks everybody! I’m going to sleep on it. I’ve dealt with fiberglass but all my supplies are at the lake. I could thixo the crack, but then if it fails, I’ve spent a lot of time and money varnishing. Those replica blades are tempting at $140! Race-legal is not in my future, but I guess my kids might.
I knew you all would know. Thanks so much.
If I have more time in the coming weeks I have templates for making rudders. If you wanted an unshaped undrilled blank I could do it for material and shipping..I could drill for you I guess too. I'm not real specific when it comes to shaping. Never made a cutter for it..I kinda just get close with a block plane and belt sander based on sketches and the drawings online. I haven't been able to get my hands on a nice confirmed original blade to copy.. for bombing your lake these are fine though. You can see one of them in pics of my boat..I've refined them a tiny bit since.
 
Btw that dowel came from the factory. I think I’d buy new - either from Intensity or Joe C. Someone else may have a used one for sale too.
 
Thanks Beldar. I wondered if that was a factory dowel. I’ve been chewing on this, and Joe C’s offer for a new blade. Here’s what I’ve decided. This should make you all laugh.

I’m going to slap a bandaid on this blade and see if I get a couple seasons out of it. Alan Glos’ idea of reinforcing with fiberglass got me thinking. All my fiberglass supplies are at the lake and I want to arrive this year with a rudder that works, not another project. However, I have some carbon fiber and West System Epoxy from a previous home project (reinforcing a cinderblock foundation). I think I have just enough goop to make it work. Here are my reasons, other than saving $100:

1. I can use up this epoxy and save myself a trip to the Hazmat dump,
2. I can spend my resources on a new-style rudder conversion kit for my other boat,
and most importantly:
3. I main gain some street cred with my boys and with this community. Hashtag SoccerMom with an awesome set of tools. And also carbon fiber.

I’ll be sure to post if it works. If not, no harm done. Have a great weekend, everyone.
 
I would try to just clean up any of that old repair, then put a wedge in the split to open it up.
Apply generous amounts of tite bond 3. Then clamp overnight. Sand and refinish. I’ve done this repair and it’s holding up fine.
 
I checked the internet for shelf life of West Systems epoxy. If, over years of storage, neither substance has changed color, expect it be stronger than the wood it is used to repair.

I bought a gallon back when it was $75/gallon. Last weekend, the product, after 15 years of storage in Florida, performed admirably--as expected. :)

OTOH, one of my Sunfish came with a daggerboard wrapped in fiberglass cloth. It had no fitting problems in the daggerboard trunk; however, it apparently received some water intrusion, which split the repair along the bottom-most curve. :(
 
I checked the internet for shelf life of West Systems epoxy. If, over years of storage, neither substance has changed color, expect it be stronger than the wood it is used to repair.

I bought a gallon back when it was $75/gallon. Last weekend, the product, after 15 years of storage in Florida, performed admirably--as expected. :)

OTOH, one of my Sunfish came with a daggerboard wrapped in fiberglass cloth. It had no fitting problems in the daggerboard trunk; however, it apparently received some water intrusion, which split the repair along the bottom-most curve. :(
West changes color when it's exposed to cold..I believe it says that right on the can..it will turn an amber color and according to the container it does not affect its performance.
 
West changes color when it's exposed to cold..I believe it says that right on the can..it will turn an amber color and according to the container it does not affect its performance.
Thanks Beldar. I wondered if that was a factory dowel. I’ve been chewing on this, and Joe C’s offer for a new blade. Here’s what I’ve decided. This should make you all laugh.

I’m going to slap a bandaid on this blade and see if I get a couple seasons out of it. Alan Glos’ idea of reinforcing with fiberglass got me thinking. All my fiberglass supplies are at the lake and I want to arrive this year with a rudder that works, not another project. However, I have some carbon fiber and West System Epoxy from a previous home project (reinforcing a cinderblock foundation). I think I have just enough goop to make it work. Here are my reasons, other than saving $100:

1. I can use up this epoxy and save myself a trip to the Hazmat dump,
2. I can spend my resources on a new-style rudder conversion kit for my other boat,
and most importantly:
3. I main gain some street cred with my boys and with this community. Hashtag SoccerMom with an awesome set of tools. And also carbon fiber.

I’ll be sure to post if it works. If not, no harm done. Have a great weekend, everyone.
 

Hi all,

I thought I’d report on the results of my cracked rudder project. I had some carbon fiber strips and leftover epoxy (I ended up using my slow-cure version from Total Boat).

After sanding the old finish off and a little extra around the cheek with 60 grit (I was hoping to make room for the carbon fiber), I mixed the epoxy (I always use a kitchen scale and follow the directions for weight not volume) and spread it on the rudder blade, placed the cf strip, then more epoxy, spreading through the fibers and letting dry. Repeat other side. I was able to smoosh the wet fabric around the end of blade on each side, which when dry, I cut using a multi tool attachment to my angle grinder. It cut around that curve like butter. Then I sanded it smooth before adding one more coat of epoxy on each side and filling in the seam around the curve.

Because I’m also refinishing my centerboard with spar varnish, I added two coats on top of the epoxy for added UV protection (??). Anyway, it’s as strong as an ox now, it seems.

In any event, it kept me busy, impressed my sons, and surely makes me the only boater on the lake with a rudder that looks like this. Now if it would just warm up a tad…still in the 60’s in northern Michigan.
 

Attachments

  • D689ADC0-0804-413C-B07C-3F034C3B9E79.jpeg
    D689ADC0-0804-413C-B07C-3F034C3B9E79.jpeg
    1.6 MB · Views: 52
  • DCEB0178-5207-4177-97E8-05D9A68C6A55.jpeg
    DCEB0178-5207-4177-97E8-05D9A68C6A55.jpeg
    1.4 MB · Views: 61
Is the CF really sitting well above the wood? If so, there may be enough drag and turbulence to make the rudder ineffective on windy days. But maybe it’ll work ok. Nothing ventured nothing gained.
 
Is the CF really sitting well above the wood? If so, there may be enough drag and turbulence to make the rudder ineffective on windy days.

It is definitely sitting above the wood, I wouldn’t say “well above”. The CF actually had a slimmer profile than the fiberglass biax fabric I also could’ve used. Drag on a windy day is welcome, ineffective is not. I’ll keep that in mind.
 

Back
Top