Reinforcing the dinghy-rudder's leading edge

[Greenheart]

Any bright ideas? The present condition of my rudder indicates...a history of contact with a hostile seabed. And the future is certain to see more of the same, however much care I take.

I suppose aluminium (or stainless?) sheet is the answer...but am I ill-advised to sand away at my rudder (and centreboard) in order to plate the leading edge? Would it be better done with a thicker glaze of gelcoat?

Got a feeling I asked this a fortnight back...

 

[prv]

I reckon epoxy and glass cloth is the right answer. Make sure it is woven cloth, not random-strand mat, as the latter doesn't work properly in epoxy. It will add a certain thickness, so ideally you should rout or sand away enough wood to avoid a step where the cloth ends. But assuming the foil doesn't have to pass through anywhere close-fitting, wrapping the whole thing (to avoid having an edge) would be easier.

Pete

 

[Iain C]

Cut back 5mm of the damaged area around the edge. Apply parcel tape as a dam and apply some VERY thick epoxy with as much colloidal silica in the mix as you can get. Wait for it to cure to green stage, chisel off excess. Wait for full cure, sand to profile.

 

[Kelpie]

Just go sailing. Sort it out next year.

 

[prv]

Cut back 5mm of the damaged area around the edge. Apply parcel tape as a dam and apply some VERY thick epoxy with as much colloidal silica in the mix as you can get. Wait for it to cure to green stage, chisel off excess. Wait for full cure, sand to profile.

+1

My suggestion was for strengthening an existing board, this sounds like a good way of repairing missing bits.

(Dan - note that "green" here doesn't actually mean the colour green, it's a stage in the epoxy curing when it's like a very stiff jelly but hasn't yet gone completely rigid.)

Pete

 

[DJE]

My old wayfarer had half-round bronze strips on the leading edges of the foils IIRC.

 

[Greenheart]

Thanks for these ideas. It had occurred to me that a strip of metal keel-band would do it, but in truth I've never used epoxy, and something malleable would certainly be easier to fair-in with the curve.

The rudder's trailing edge is 2mm thick and the rear surface of the edge is flat. I'd have thought a blade-like thinness is best, isn't it? I read that a Finn centreboard had a trailing edge so sharp, it had injured the chap trying to right the boat from capsize...

...but thank you Mr Whelton, I know I should be sailing this boat, not stressing over its imperfections!

 

[Kelpie]

Can't speak about Ospreys specifically, but on Wayfarers the foils are *not* supposed to be razor-sharp edged- I think it may even be in the class rules. A really sharp trailing edge is going to be too fragile to be practical anyway, I would think.

And now go and enjoy your sailing