Drain Plug on Rudder

[Snowgoose-1]

Does anyone have a permanent drain plug on their rudder ?
Seems logical when walking around boatyards on hardstanding during the winter.

Ta

 

[greeny]

Does anyone have a permanent drain plug on their rudder ?
Seems logical when walking around boatyards on hardstanding during the winter.

Ta

I don't but it may be a good idea. I've drilled mine top and bottom in past years to allow it to drain and then refilled the holes. Resealed the shaft entry hoping it would seal and stop the ingress. It didn't so maybe living with the leak and draining each year is the compromise answer. You'd probably need a plug top and bottom to break the airlock and allow it to drain. Great idea in my book. Job to do this winter.

 

[rogerthebodger]

I don't have a drain plug but I do have a fill plug so I could fill my hollow steel rudder with old engine oil

 

[Tranona]

Sure others have done it. One of these set in epoxy would provide the thread
accu.co.uk/self-tapping-inserts/410834-HSTI-M6-A2

 

[PeterV]

My surveyor suggested I drilled a hole in the bottom of the rudder and fit a large self tapper screw so I could remove it each time the boat was out of the water.

 

[Daydream believer]

..

 

[greeny]

..It is all down to the fact that my wife does not understand me !!

Neither does mine but I'll still fit the drain plug.

 

[Daydream believer]

Neither does mine but I'll still fit the drain plug.

Do you fill her up with 15w40, first or any old engine oil like Roger the bodger #3

 

[Snowgoose-1]

Sure others have done it. One of these set in epoxy would provide the thread
accu.co.uk/self-tapping-inserts/410834-HSTI-M6-A2

Nice idea.
I wonder if I glassed in a car tyre valve near the top and gave it a pump to hurry evacuation .

 

[veshengro]

" I don't have a drain plug but I do have a fill plug so I could fill my hollow steel rudder with old engine oil "

Animal Rights protectors would insist you use healthy vegetable oil or something less toxic, so that when Orca bites yer rudder off he doesn't get polluted.

 

[Poignard]

Make sure you

" I don't have a drain plug but I do have a fill plug so I could fill my hollow steel rudder with old engine oil "

Animal Rights protectors would insist you use healthy vegetable oil or something less toxic, so that when Orca bites yer rudder off he doesn't get polluted.

Cod liver oil?

 

[bignick]

There seems to be some support but personally I’m not convinced. How would you seal the drain plugs top and bottom for when the boat is in the water? The plugs may let water in more readily than before.

 

[Poignard]

There seems to be some support but personally I’m not convinced. How would you seal the drain plugs top and bottom for when the boat is in the water? The plugs may let water in more readily than before.

Copper/ fibre joint ring?

But wouldn't it be better to fix the leak?

I'd look askance at any boat for sale that showed such unmistakeable evidence of a leaking rudder as a drain plug.

 

[rogerthebodger]

" I don't have a drain plug but I do have a fill plug so I could fill my hollow steel rudder with old engine oil "

Animal Rights protectors would insist you use healthy vegetable oil or something less toxic, so that when Orca bites yer rudder off he doesn't get polluted.

Some points

1) The oil will not leak out unless the rubber steel rusts away which is the point of filling it with oil

2) If any one was concerned fill it with fish oil

3) If oil does leak out it shows the rudder needs fixing.

4) If an Orca does manage to chomp through mt steel rubber It would need to see a dentist to have it teeth fixed or starve to death

5) personally I think rudders should be made of steel ven for GRP boats as the number of rudder repair done due to water inside due to a leak through the rudder shaft surprises to me as the with the corrosion of the stainless steel tangs inside thus possible loss of steering

 

[Daydream believer]

There seems to be some support but personally I’m not convinced. How would you seal the drain plugs top and bottom for when the boat is in the water? The plugs may let water in more readily than before.

if water got in before, then it will do the same again.So the point of some of the above posts- one assumes- is to accept the fact & make it easier to remove the water.
However, one should consider the long term effect on any foam inside the foil. If this degrades then integrity of the foil itself may be suspect.
Attempts to seal any joints could be carried out first. Once one was satisfied this had been sorted successfully, then the plugs could be left or removed as desired.
Mention of plug failure has been made. Plastic plug sockets may not bond into GRP easily. Once they are, the screw in part should be sufficiently watertight, as plastic drains on dinghies have worked with neoprene washers for years. I have carelessly left mine in for a week to my buoyancy tanks & the rush of air when released is noticeable.

 

[Tranona]

There seems to be some support but personally I’m not convinced. How would you seal the drain plugs top and bottom for when the boat is in the water? The plugs may let water in more readily than before.

All saildrives have screw in plugs sealed with either a washer or an O ring. That is why I suggest a bonded in thread to take a standard M6 drain plug like this
motorworks.co.uk/fork-drain-screw-ssa13408-1.html

There are plenty of larger drain plugs but there is not much space at the bottom of many rudders to fit the insert to create the thread.

 

[greeny]

Make sure you
Cod liver oil?

NOOOO! Don't use that! If it leaks the orcas will come after you.