bent s.s rudder post

[roscoewalsh]

32' full keel heavy disp. cruiser
post is approx. 3" stainless

I dont think it can be straightened without removing the composites, I would guess that it was made in two halves?


HELP!!!!

[Frosty]

Depends where its bent? 32 foot full keel would have been a supported rudder?

Using a press will straighten it, some damage may occure on the rudder but repairable.

It will be straight to the eye but may never be perfect, if the bearings line up it will be good enough for a rudder.

If it needs heat to get it straight then a new one may be cheaper. The heat will destroy the rudder and will need a new one. At that stage it would be better to get a new one due to labour costs so depends where you are.

Re initialize the auto pilot after.

[roscoewalsh]

it appears bent inside the composite, hit a steel cable at marina, can the composite be split, then later rejoined?
not sure what you mean by supported rudder? the Stainless post slides into sleeves & hangs by one bolt in the cockpit with the emergency steer nut.

[Frosty]

Possibly, there are steel strengtheners on the inside welded to the shaft.

[PAR]

It's very likely if you stick the rudder in a press and straighten the shaft, the laminate will experience failure and crushing damage. Much of this may be visible and repairable, but much, particularly if there are internal support "webs" or other reinforcement, could easily be within the depths of the rudder laminate, where it can't be seen, therefore left unrepaired.

Use a stud finder and check to see if there is an internal "armature" welded to the shaft. If there is, you'll probably have to at least expose the shaft, if not remove the laminate around it.

[Guest62110524]

sounds like your STOCK, is a tube, and no skeg Rudders have stocks, shafts spin, as in prop,
you can straighten a tube, with a pipe bender, likely its schedule ss, with reasonably heavy wall
But you are going to have to expose the stock , take it out completl♠y by looks of it, there will most likely be some tangs in there
And If you do have to demolish, then I would lift off your sections in ply pattern form and your plan form too
Good luck, pity ---you have my sympathy

[roscoewalsh]

I believe it will be best to expose / remove the stock & tangs, my question is- should I split the composite/laminate at the leading & trailing edges or to follow the stock & tangs from one side/(not a complete split) ALSO will a high density bonding resin work to rejoin the halves?....., or to fill if I just remove the stock & tangs(one side method) do need matting, my guess is YES!

Thanks for all the info, it is much help!

[old_sailor]

A lot depends on the fill material for the rudder. If it is light it is probably foam. If it is heavy it is probably plywood. If it is foam, it will be difficult to put back together, plywood will be easier. Regardless, forget about matting. Matting is generally incompatible with epoxies due to the "binders" in the matting. You want to put the rudder back together using epoxies. You may be able to get by with thickened epoxy, or if you need reinforcing material, look for biaxial material (sewn together) that does not have mat sewn to it. When you re-glass the edges together, use epoxy and the biaxial material to reinforce the edges.

[roscoewalsh]

believe it to be a type of foam, rudder floats even with a thick wall s.s. post/stock & if thats the case wouldnt it be better to remove post/stock & tangs from one side without splitting rudder in half?

[old_sailor]

Aaargh! timed out and I had just written the post. Anyway, I think you are correct and that going in from the side may be your best bet. I suspect that whatever method you use, you will do so much damage to the rudder that buying a new one may be a better option. If buying a new one is prohibitively expensive, then I would get the shaft straightened, then to rebuild it, I would put plywood between the tangs, sandwich that will plywood, pinning the plywood to the tangs. I would then make a rough form, and use pourable foam for the surface of the rudder. Fair the foam using a rasp and other tools. I would then glass over the foam using standard marine polyester resin and biaxial material with mat. At a guess this will cost about $500. I am sure that other people with more experience with foam rudders will have a different answer. This method will give you a strong rudder that will be somewhat heavier than the old rudder, but lends itself well to the amateur.

I have destroyed many things that I have tried to repair that were virtually unrepairable. That may be your case.