krayz1
New member
I would be interested to hear from any 21i owner who has had a snapped rudder. I would like to know how common this is.
Etap 21i Rudder breakeage
- Thread starter krayz1
- Start date
DaveS
Well-known member
This may or may not be of direct assistance, but...
I had a problem with the rudder of my previous boat, an Etap 22. From the time I bought her (second hand) the aluminium rudder blade sat at a slight angle (c. 2 degrees) away from vertical but this caused no noticeable effect on boat handling and I largely ignored / forgot about it. Some years later I was caught in a brief but severe squall off Rum during which the tiller became very heavy. The following morning, at anchor in Loch Scresort, daylight revealed that the bend in the rudder blade now exceeded 30 degrees!
We got the rudder off the boat (easy since it's a lifting, transom hung design) then removed the GRP cheek pieces from the blade. This showed that the bend occupied only some 30% of the blade's width: the other 70% was completely torn through. The tear was old and had been hidden by the cheek pieces. How or when it was caused, who knows?
We were grateful for the use of SNH's workshop to carry out temporary repairs. We heated up the bend with a blowlamp until it could be straightened out fairly easily. We then fitted two pairs of old gate hinges (solid, forged jobs dating back to Bulloch) across the tear and the (now straightened) bend and through-bolted them. This repair was solid enough to last to the end of the season when a permanent (and more sightly) repair was done by TIG welding.
Moral: if you have a rudder of this type it might be a really good idea to add to the winter list the few minutes required to take off the cheek pieces and examine the blade - especially if there's any hint of distortion, looseness etc.
I had a problem with the rudder of my previous boat, an Etap 22. From the time I bought her (second hand) the aluminium rudder blade sat at a slight angle (c. 2 degrees) away from vertical but this caused no noticeable effect on boat handling and I largely ignored / forgot about it. Some years later I was caught in a brief but severe squall off Rum during which the tiller became very heavy. The following morning, at anchor in Loch Scresort, daylight revealed that the bend in the rudder blade now exceeded 30 degrees!
We got the rudder off the boat (easy since it's a lifting, transom hung design) then removed the GRP cheek pieces from the blade. This showed that the bend occupied only some 30% of the blade's width: the other 70% was completely torn through. The tear was old and had been hidden by the cheek pieces. How or when it was caused, who knows?
We were grateful for the use of SNH's workshop to carry out temporary repairs. We heated up the bend with a blowlamp until it could be straightened out fairly easily. We then fitted two pairs of old gate hinges (solid, forged jobs dating back to Bulloch) across the tear and the (now straightened) bend and through-bolted them. This repair was solid enough to last to the end of the season when a permanent (and more sightly) repair was done by TIG welding.
Moral: if you have a rudder of this type it might be a really good idea to add to the winter list the few minutes required to take off the cheek pieces and examine the blade - especially if there's any hint of distortion, looseness etc.
sailorman
Well-known member
thanx by the way in advance
Etap owner
Etap owner
krayz1
New member
Hi Daves
Thanks for your reply. The rudder blades on the 21i are fibre glass. Sailing in a force 4 - 5 the starboard blade snapped clean off just above the water line. When we got back to marina found the port blade was cracked right around in the same place. Blades have been replaced, but my confidence in them is severely dented and I was just wondering if this was a common problem with this boat as I have never received a proper explanation as to why it snapped. Boat was less than a year old.
Regards
Thanks for your reply. The rudder blades on the 21i are fibre glass. Sailing in a force 4 - 5 the starboard blade snapped clean off just above the water line. When we got back to marina found the port blade was cracked right around in the same place. Blades have been replaced, but my confidence in them is severely dented and I was just wondering if this was a common problem with this boat as I have never received a proper explanation as to why it snapped. Boat was less than a year old.
Regards
krayz1
New member
Hi Sailorman
Sorry, but you've lost me!!!
Regards
Sorry, but you've lost me!!!
Regards
2383
New member
I have an Etap 21i and last season I noticed some vibration from the starboard rudder at 4-5knots.No obvious loosening but some superficial cracks around the bracket on the rudder. I think I'll now take a closer look....
