Stainless rudder shoe. To paint or not to?

[Mait]

A question to knowledgable sailors.
I had to fabricate a new rudder shoe. The old one was stainless and so is the new one (316 or A4).
How should I finish it, I was thinking epoxy paint + antifouling?
The boat is in seawater and rudder shoe is submerged of course

 

[pvb]

A thing of beauty!

I'd just antifoul over it.

 

[ip485]

I have something similiar - what is sometimes called a turtle bar I think that runs from the bottom of the rudder along to the end of the keel (long keel). It is also stainless.

It has always been a bit of a nightmare as it is the one part that is fouled at the next lift. The antifouling never sticks or lasted on bare metal (albiet I go two years between).

The answer was to etch and paint with Primocon and then antifoul on top. It seems to be a pretty good solution. Yours is much smaller so I guess would not matter as matter, but I suspect if you just anti foul it you will find it will not stay on for very long.

It is a pretty work of art!

PS I see no reason why some form of epoxy would also not work, but perhaps you need to be a little more careful about the wether conditions to ensure a good bond. I also use Propderv just the propellor. I have found it brilliant and the best solution on the market. It is important to use the primer and again etch before, but it seems to stick to metal remarkably well and the antifoul is very efficient. That would be another solution - a couple of spray cans, but it is also a little pricey.

 

[neil_s]

I have a drop blade in my rudder so there are several stainless steel components. I have them all connected to an anode. Other than that, I just paint the A/F over those that are exposed.

 

[Rappey]

I also have the same stainless part and never had any paint fall off it.. As long as its not polished , preferably matt finish then paint should stick..
Epoxy seems a little excessive as the stainless does not need protecting as then you have to make the paint stick to the epoxy..

 

[Rhylsailer99]

A question to knowledgable sailors.
I had to fabricate a new rudder shoe. The old one was stainless and so is the new one (316 or A4).
How should I finish it, I was thinking epoxy paint + antifouling?
The boat is in seawater and rudder shoe is submerged of course
View attachment 113475

it looks so well made it would be a shame to paint it

 

[ip485]

Interesting comments, I never managed to get anti foul to stick all that well to my bare metal turtle bar. It isnt polished. I wonder if the two year regime may be a factor. I did try it that way for four years without much success.

 

[rotrax]

Interesting comments, I never managed to get anti foul to stick all that well to my bare metal turtle bar. It isnt polished. I wonder if the two year regime may be a factor. I did try it that way for four years without much success.

Turtle bar is a new one!

Over on the iphomeport they are called weed shoes, which is what I call mine.

I dont antifoul mine and find that brick cleaner - mild hydrocloric acid - brings it up very quicly. The prop and stern tube too. The SP Cruiser has a particularly long weed shoe.

Give it a try, but wear eye protection, old clothes and rubber gloves.

 

[ip485]

Rotrax yes I have used acid. Since coating with the metal primer and antifoul it all stays on the stainless now so I dont pickup any fouling and even the propellor which I also cleaned with acid has been fouling free since using the Prop o derv with primer so I find theses a better solutions. I have just gone 2 and a half years and had no barnacles or encrustation and only light weed and slime which power washed off so was very pleased. There are some photos in the members forum.

 

[Daydream believer]

Not what you want to hear & totally off thread but !!!
Assuming that takes a rudder pin fixed in the bottom of the rudder I would have put a sacrificial plastic bush between the rudder pin & the shoe . Metal to metal is not really a good mix for a bearing. On my launch the rudder pin has started to wear badly allowing the rudder to vibrate. The female part seems OK Just means major surgery to the ruder will soon be due which is harder than making a new shoe
If it takes a long rod that passes through rudder pintals then no problem as the rod should not rotate much & is easy to replace

 

[ip485]

Ps I was told the term originates from the turtle grass in the shallows off Florida but may have this wrong.

 

[Rhylsailer99]

Not what you want to hear & totally off thread but !!!
Assuming that takes a rudder pin fixed in the bottom of the rudder I would have put a sacrificial plastic bush between the rudder pin & the shoe . Metal to metal is not really a good mix for a bearing. On my launch the rudder pin has started to wear badly allowing the rudder to vibrate. The female part seems OK Just means major surgery to the ruder will soon be due which is harder than making a new shoe
If it takes a long rod that passes through rudder pintals then no problem as the rod should not rotate much & is easy to replace

i made a washer 50mm with a 26mm hole out of uhmwpe to hopefully stop wear on the delrin iserted bush thats attached to the bottom of the rudder. im not sure if this will be a sacrificial washer to hopefully stop the delrin from wearing out.