wet rudder -what to do?

[Birdseye]

My rudder contains some water. I know that because I have drilled a couple of holes in it and extracted maybe 2 pints. One litre if you are metric. And on the drill bit when pulled our is a sort of damp grey gritty powder. Maybe broken down foam? Boat is a mid 90s grp yacht from an upmarket builder.

Every boat I have owned has had this problem and so fat I ve just ignored it. Not unusual - I have a moisture meter and one winter I checked most of the boats in the compound and most had the same issue. The modern benny next to me has holes in the rudder with the same problem.

Question is, what to do? Just draining achieves nothing much . As soon as launched, it will refill from the rudder stock joint. What would you do?

 

[sailorman]

90% of rudders will have water in them

 

[Tranona]

You may be able to plug the holes and also find where the water is getting in - probably around the junction between the stock and blade. The fear long term is that the welds between the stock and the tangs will corrode and the stock turn in the blade. Construction is usually in two shells with the stock and framework placed in, the shells bonded together and foam filled. A rebuild involves splitting the shells, clearing out the decayed foam and re-assembling. Sealing the stock in with an O ring bedded in epoxy might prevent water getting in there.

 

[Dipper]

My rudder was always full of water and the weld on my tangs eventually failed. Luckily it was whilst my boat was on its swinging mooring although I only found out after I had cast off!

I found leaks where the stock entered and exited the rudder and in a couple of places where the two sides had been joined together. I reinforced the entry and exit points of the stock with PVC bushes (West epoxy sticks really well to PVC) and inserted 3 Vaseline covered 'O' rings into a recess at each point and epoxied them in. My method was based on a suggestion by Oldsaltoz.

At my last survey the rudder was dry. Full details of my repair can be seen here - scroll down a bit. http://www.randpsystems.co.uk/seawolf/rudders.htm

 

[PabloPicasso]

My rudder was always full of water and the weld on my tangs eventually failed. Luckily it was whilst my boat was on its swinging mooring although I only found out after I had cast off!

I found leaks where the stock entered and exited the rudder and in a couple of places where the two sides had been joined together. I reinforced the entry and exit points of the stock with PVC bushes (West epoxy sticks really well to PVC) and inserted 3 Vaseline covered 'O' rings into a recess at each point and epoxied them in. My method was based on a suggestion by Oldsaltoz.

At my last survey the rudder was dry. Full details of my repair can be seen here - scroll down a bit. http://www.randpsystems.co.uk/seawolf/rudders.htm

My Boat has exactly this water problem, although no corroded broken welds as yet. It'll have to wait until next year before considering corrective action.

 

[cimo]

90% of rudders will have water in them

i'm of the other 10%. mines a mild steel rudder.

re: the OP., I'd look to make an epoxy seal between the stock/rudder joint, room permitting. As with anything expoy related, preparation is key.

 

[michael_w]

Drill holes in the rudder to find out how high the water has penetrated. Then push rag wicks into the holes and leave as long as possible ie: all the time your boat is ashore. Remove wicks and inject epoxy mixed with collodial sillica, about as stiff as ketchup. Repeat every time you haul out.

After a few times the rudder voids will be full of epoxy and the problem is solved! I've done this procedure on two different boats.

 

[Simes]

Remove wicks and inject epoxy mixed with collodial sillica, about as stiff as ketchup. Repeat every time you haul out.

After a few times the rudder voids will be full of epoxy and the problem is solved! I've done this procedure on two different boats.[/QUOTE]

A better choice of thickener would be glass bubbles. The rudder should have a slight positive buoyancy, thus when heeled the tendency will be for the vessel to round-up and not to bear away.

Simes

 

[Boathook]

Drill holes in the rudder to find out how high the water has penetrated. Then push rag wicks into the holes and leave as long as possible ie: all the time your boat is ashore. Remove wicks and inject epoxy mixed with collodial sillica, about as stiff as ketchup. Repeat every time you haul out.

After a few times the rudder voids will be full of epoxy and the problem is solved! I've done this procedure on two different boats.

I did similar with one of my rudders a few winters back. It did have the winter to dry out though in front of one of my warm air heating vents!