Expired Wanted: Rudder Backing Plate

[Breeze Bender]

Price $

10

State

CONNECTICUT

Upgrading the rudder on a ‘67 Sunfish. I thought I had everything I needed, but my new in bag gudgeon backing plate is too long- I believe it’s for a Laser. It should be part number 85098, my backer says SF43061.
Wonder if someone has a used one for sale? Or someone with a Laser who needs this one?

 

[Alan S. Glos]

BB,

Plan "B". Just hacksaw to proper size. The plate is aluminum, fairly easy to saw.

Alan Glos
Cazenovia, NY

 

[signal charlie]

Jigsaw with metal blade would make short work of that.

 

[signal charlie]

And sometimes the old fiberglass straps that held in the deck and keel backer blocks are in the way. No need for those anymore.

 

[Breeze Bender]

And sometimes the old fiberglass straps that held in the deck and keel backer blocks are in the way. No need for those anymore.

Any trick to getting those straps off? Chisel and a hammer?

 

[Alan S. Glos]

BB,

If you can grab the edges with Vicegrips, do so and twist. If not, go the chisel and hammer route (gently!)

Alan Glos

 

[signal charlie]

Good putty knife might get you started.

Don't be surprised if the backer plate doesn't fit snug over the carriage bolt indentation, on the ones we've done there was still a small gap between the backer plate and the inner transom. We bridges that with longer machine screws. If you don't have one already I'd invest in a deep well socket that fits the size nylock nuts that you intend to use. I think we use #8 marine stainless screws, washers and nylocks. We have #6 and # 8 deep well sockets whose only purpose in life is to hold inspection port and backer plate hardware in hard to reach spots, with the little screwdriver type handle.

If you use a drill to run the screws, go slow and don't overtighten. Heat can build up and gall the screw and nut threads, encouraging corrosion and difficulty removing screws down the road.

And use a copious amount of adhesive under the gudgeon, to the point where it oozes out a bit. This is one area where 3M 5200 or 4200 are useful.

 

[Breeze Bender]

Excellent advice, thank you!

 

[Nicholson58]

I posted this on another thread. I found the aluminum backer didn’t fit over the hump inside the transom. I elevated the bow so gravity would be my friend. Epoxy and glass added to the inside of the transom to about 3/8 inch thick and covering the hump. I used bolts ant fender washers, nylon insert nuts. Ports were added at the transom and ahead of the cockpit. I used a fan for a few days to dry the inside. The reinforced area is about 10” wide and transitions into the hull bottom. Should resist anything the grandchildren do to it.