rudder streaks

[Isabel#98]

I was looking through the FAQ's and noticed quite a bit about water intruded rudders. I saw some rust streaks down one side of my rudder and thought UH-OH. I don't know how common serious problems are with this issue, so I drilled a couple of holes to see if I had it. I noticed no immediate seepage of water, the rudder seems tight and solid, but those streaks came from somewhere. Maybe the rudder post has some pitting that caused them? My boat was N.chessapeake her whole life (not very salty) could I be spared from the intrusion problem? Either way, I'm not going to do anything else now. Tommorow I'll fill the holes and I'm just waiting on the travelift. I'll address the rudder next winter, Hopefully nothing catastrophic will happen in the interim..:)

[Stu Jackson]

RUDDER POST STREAKS

A search on the main website shows:

http://www.picosearch.com/cgi-bin/ts.pl

While this link doesn't work from here because it needs to be found on your own try this:  go to the main website, click on Search, type rudder post, scroll to exact phrase, click the search button.  It'll show you a screen with about ten things to choose from.

The 1994 Tech Notes are found at:

http://www.c34.org/mainsheet/pdf/1994_no3.pdf

Stu (your friendly librarian  :)  )

[Isabel#98]

Ron, I read all the info on the rusting rudder, but drilling holes in the rudder has produced no moisture. I'll try a few more holes close to the top of the rudder to check tommorow. You wrote the rudder is living on borrowed time, which I undersatand, but do you mean borrowed time til delamination or complete failure? (like dropping of the boat?) Ever hear of a rudder separating from the boat other than from a collision?

[Kyle Ewing]

I recently found this article from www.gougeon.com which explains very well what is happening and how to fix it.  Its the same information that has been described on this board already.

Hope it helps.

Kyle Ewing
C34 #1010, Donnybrook
Belmont Harbor, Chicago

West System rudder repair

[Isabel#98]

OK, I didn't want to do it, but I drilled more holes in the rudder High,low, front, back. I got a little seepage from the lowest hole about an inch from the bottom. the others are dry, including the ones right near the post entry. I think water intrusion is minimal at this point, so I'm gonna close it up and stay with my launch schedule. I'll get aggressive with this situation in the fall. As long as the rudder doesn't fall off between Block and the Vineyard, I'm cool. Thanks for all the responses, BD :)