Thank you Breeze. I think you're right. It doesn't need much and I will try this less invasive approach with the West System 6-10. I was really lucky to buy those items at the price I did. Love the spare parts!Hi norcalsail,
Your rudders are beautiful. I’d probably go the same route, but on a much smaller scale. I used West System Six10- I love this stuff! It’s a two-part thickened epoxy, self-metering so you don’t need to measure, and it doesn’t dry out in the tube like some, so there’s no waste. I’d probably tape off around the crack to keep it neat and make a straight line, then use an old credit card or small plastic putty knife to spread a thin line of epoxy, pushing it in to fill the crack.
Others may offer different methods, but that’s the route I’d go, FWIW!
Two changes to my previous:This rudder was given to me a while back in sad shape. I’ve had it hanging on the garage wall. Someone tried to repair the split by screwing a tiller strap to each side. I was going to just take the metal cheek and the straps (a bonus, since new straps are listed at an insane $69.65/pair) then use the rudder in pieces for backer blocks and such, but after I removed the hardware and sanded down that beautiful mahogany I filled the holes and cracks with thickened epoxy, then epoxied the whole rudder. The last pic is after one coat of spar poly. A few more coats and I think this will be back in use. It isn’t the prettiest- those wounds were deep- but it feels as strong as new.
Sea trials will tell!
Awesome. Thanks for the link. This is really helpful.Try a forum that deals with such things regularly--including budget:
Mahogany is a beautiful wood! It shimmers and glows in sunlight.after I removed the hardware and sanded down that beautiful mahogany I filled the holes and cracks with thickened epoxy, then epoxied the whole rudder. The last pic is after one coat of spar poly. A few more coats and I think this will be back in use. It isn’t the prettiest- those wounds were deep- but it feels as strong as new. Sea trials will tell!
That's exactly what I did with the upper 9 inches of a rudder that had cracking along the grain. The glass plus another coat or two of resin afterwards thickened the width of the wood that was a bit too thin for the rudder cheeks. I could probably drive spikes into the ground with that rudder now. The fiberglass makes it super strong.fill the cracks with thickened epoxy, sand again smooth and then fiberglass the entire blade with auto parts store el cheapo Bondo fiberglass resin and fiberglass cloth.
Please post pix on your progress.Thanks for the responses. Ordered the six10 epoxy, next off to get some bondo and hopefully get it patched up and ready to sail...
Skip the bondo. Follow signal Charlie’s advice (above). I wouldn’t give up on that rudder!Thanks for the responses. Ordered the six10 epoxy, next off to get some bondo and hopefully get it patched up and ready to sail. It's nice not to discard such a beautiful piece of wood. Cam
Well it's repaired. 3.5" deck screw, thickened epoxy and some bowtime joints. We'll see.New sailer/new boat (1977 minifish), same repair. Any additional advice would be helpful. Here are some pics.
Well it's repaired. 3.5" deck screw, thickened epoxy and some bowtime joints. We'll see.
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For rudder head grainwise cracks where the tiller bolt goes we pry them open a tiny bit, enough to inject thickened epoxy from a syringe. Then if we are bored we drill a pilot hole into the leading edge at the top and put in a 3 inch deck screw, countersunk about 1/4 inch. We use the screw to pull the cracks back together just a bit, but not all the way as that would squeeze out all the epo$y that we just put in. Then put a dab of epoxy over the screw head to seal it. Don't tell anyone we used a screw vs a dowel, it will be our secret.
PS that daggerboard looks damaged beyond repair, if you like you could ship that to us and we'll properly retire it
Yep. I split my rudder by pulling it up by the tiller.Nice repair work. I also never pull the tiller handle to raise the rudder as in snaps up too fast causing splits. I always put my hand under the blade and manually raise it.
Funny, you're missing the washer for the nylon bolts also. I was thinking of using a galvanized washer to avoid buying one stainless steel washer/nut/bolt/crew. How do you buy singleton stainless steel pieces?Checking another rudder, it looks like one of my epoxied repairs—using the longest screws I had at hand. I didn't matter to me that they are different drives.Yes, I need to take the hardware off and get it varnished for the season!
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Checking another rudder, it looks like one of my epoxied repairs—using the longest screws I had at hand. I didn't matter to me that they are different drives.Yes, I need to take the hardware off and get it varnished for the season!
View attachment 41898
My local ACE hardware carries individual stainless steel itemsFunny, you're missing the washer for the nylon bolts also. I was thinking of using a galvanized washer to avoid buying one stainless steel washer/nut/bolt/crew. How do you buy singleton stainless steel pieces?