solving rudder cracks
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Rudder repairs.... how to fix cracks in your rudderTRANSCRIPT
The BRISTOL 35.5 (CB) “MrJohn VI” (no. 132)
When we arrived in New Zealand and hauled the boat, we had intended to examine the rudder stock and attend the heel pin; this was worn and we were getting a little noise from it.
Once the rudder was removed we noted that there was a crack on the forward edge and we decided to make a repair……
This was quite simple and only took us a couple of days…..After twenty-six years the stud bolts came out without any problems, also the two screws in the bottom of the bronze heel fitting. The quadrant came off like it had been put on yesterday and the rudder slipped out no problem. We required the boat to be raised up twenty-two inches for the rudder removal and this was the height she was chocked at in the cradle. This height also allows for removal of the centreboard.
You don’t need to have a Boat Yard do this work, it is very strait forward. We were surprised to find that most of what we removed was just resin and filler; thus having replaced it with Epoxy, Glass Tape and Glass Chopped Strand Mat, we were sure that we had built in more strength than there was before.
If you have this problem, it is an easy fix; give it a try…….
John & Paula Wolstenholme. www.yachtmrjohn.blogspot.com
