Aft water tank removal Good news & Bad news

[suereal]

Good News!

Thanks again to all. I really appreciate your advice.

Luckily, I was able to get our local (there's only one here in San Carlos MX) diesel mechanic and general boat guru to disconnect all the major impediments for me from the aft lazarette. It took all of about 20 minutes. There's times it's good not to be 6'5". We raised the boat with the hydroelectric trailer and with much pounding, pushing and pulling broke the shaft free from the aluminum emergency tiller cap.

Bad News!!

The rudder post is corroded at the base where it enters the top of the rudder and there's signs of corrosion about 10" up the shaft. I have a couple of choices:

1. Take the rudder apart and import a new shaft rebuild the rudder and reinstall.

2. Buy a new rudder.

Seaclusion in old, 1986, but in generally good health. She still has her original rudder and I'm wondering if replacing what I have w an elliptical rudder makes sense. I've read most of the posts in this board most of which was written about 10 yrs ago it seems.

I'm wondering if any of you have any brilliant thoughts on this.

Thanks again for your  input.

Dave

[KWKloeber]

Dave

I recalled seeing what Ron did to retrofit
https://www.c34.org/projects/projects-rudder-modification.htm

How bad is the corrosion? Pix? Is the second area in a critical location?

If there's not water intrusion into the core, could the corroded surface of the rudder stock be resurfaced using devcon to save what you have and do a retrofit to elliptical?

I'm cheap and always trying to fix over replace 

PS- I think there's a typo in your signature tag line!

[Ted Pounds]

Bite the bullet and buy a new elliptical rudder. You'll love the improvement in rudder authority.  And you're much less likely have some hidden problem that could lead to failure. 

[Ron Hill]

Dave : I agree with Ted. 
Your 37 year old rudder is bound to have water intrusion and if its been in salt water the iron grid inside is corroded!!

A few thoughts

[suereal]

K.W., Please see attached photos. It appears the post is rusted through in a couple of places. While I'd actually like to try and rebuild the rudder I think that for peace of mind I may be better off finding one professionally built one. Being in Mexico, it's often a process getting materials and finding a reasonable place to work and getting work done. I'm not a welder and not sure this is the project to learn on. Thanks for the heads up on the quote!

Which leads me to my question of any ideas about where to buy one? I've looked at Catalina Direct they're asking about $4,000.00. Does anyone know of any legitimate affordable alternatives?

I appreciate your thoughts.

[Noah]

You might try Foss Rudders.
http://fossrudders.com/

[KWKloeber]

Yeah that's a little more than surface corrosion!
Might ask the CTY factory?

[Ron Hill]

Dave : Looking at the picture, it appears to me that you might have had some electroless that caused the erosion of the SS column!

A thought

[suereal]

Ron,

Your observation is probably spot on. I believe the boat has been in this area for over 20 yrs and while she spent quite a bit of time cruising her slip has always been in San Carlos. I don't believe the awareness about stray voltage is quite as prevalent here as in the states and Canada.

Thanks, I'll check out my options.

Dave

[scgunner]

Dave,

That's nothing I'd reinstall on my boat. Once the corrosion gets all the way through it's only a matter of time. That Catalina rudder is probably built by Foss if not I wouldn't expect it to be less expensive. After looking at their website a simple formula comes to mind, sailboat+custom+racing=$$$$. If you wanna play you gotta pay.

[Noah]

The "elliptical" rudders that Catalina Direct is selling are built by Rudder Craft, not Foss.

[Ted Pounds]

I have a Rudder Craft rudder on my Gloucester 19.  They do good work. 👍

[kh3412]

Bought mine two years ago from Catalina.

[waughoo]

KH3412,

Is that rudder the upgraded elliptical shoal draft? 

[suereal]

I've contacted Foos, Catalina Direct, Catalina Yachts and Rudder Craft.

Rudder Craft makes the rudders for Catalina Direct so they're the same rudder. I spoke w Jason and he seems very knowledgeable. They're construction is some different than the others in that instead of injected a fiberglass mold, they lay up closed cell foam board and then shape the rudder halves, fiberglass that and post and webbing together, then layup the fiberglass exterior. It's the elliptical design and they claim it works well.

Catalina Yachts, has yet to get back to me now going on 3 days. They have to check and see if they have the molds.

Foss has the molds and can build one the traditional way, by injection I assume. They are on the east coast having it shipped to AZ may be problematic. Plus, he's having a hip replacement shortly and apparently that will slow things down.

Does anyone have experience w Rudder Craft? I assume they're a good product.

Thanks,

Dave