CD 25 rudder/hull construction

[OtterHill]

In doing other work on my rudder, I discovered some damage to the hull around where the rudderpost enters the hull--I'm not sure of the correct terminology here...

Beneath the layers of old bottom paint, I found some previous repairs on the hull, both fore and aft of where the rudderpost enters. The repairs weren't done very well, and the gel has cracked and the fiberglass decayed some.

Can anyone fill me in on the construction of that part of the hull, and the "stuffing box" on a 25? I can see the post from above, if I open the seat, but I'm not sure about what goes on as the post passes through the hull. Has anyone dealt with this problem?

Thanks for any help!

[sfreihofer]

Otterhill;

You mention a 'stuffing box' which leads me to ask, are you referring to a CD25 or a CD25D? The CD25D (the D is for Diesel) has an auxilliary engine, and thus a stuffing box. The CD25 has an outboard engine well, not an auxilliary engine, and thus has no stuffing box.

I am not familiar with a CD25D. The CD25 rudder post is a fiberglass tube that holds the rudder shaft. You can see the upper end of the rudder post, since it is the tube that extends above the cockpit sole (floor). This tube runs from the cockpit through to the hull at the top of the rudder. There is no stuffing box or any kind of seal between the rudder shaft and the rudder post. As discussed in an earlier post, water can and does enter the cockpit at times through the gap between shaft and post.

Beneath the cockpit there is a fairly large unused space between the cockpit deck casting and the hull. The rudder post is the connection between the cockpit and the hull, and is firmly bedded into each. This prevents water from entering the hull where the rudder shaft enters the hull.

I'm not sure what you need to know, so if this description is unclear, please let me know. Unfortunately I neglected to take photos of the area beneath the cockpit while I had access to it.

Stan Freihofer
1981 CD25 #794 "Pearl"
Ft. Lauderdale
Reconstruction details at http://www.ReefRoof.com

[OtterHill]

Thanks, Stan. It is a 1974 CD 25 that I stumbled into, not knowing much about sailboats. No stuffing box; I was searching for the right term for the fiberglass tube that the rudderpost goes through.

My question is a broad one. I'm dealing with some damage to the area at the top of the rudder, where the rudderpost enters the hull. I think this is the "unused space" that you mentioned, between the hull and the cockpit casting. Since I'm unsure of the construction, I'm hesitant to dive in with the grinder... So my question concerns how best to approach this area--it seems to be a bit complex compared to the rest of the hull. Any words of advice or caution would be very welcome. I don't want to just throw some glass on the surface and miss, or create, a larger, unseen problem.

I have ground-out a bad spot that begins above and forward of where the rudderpost enters the hull. It's about a 8 inch long area, beginning on the vertical face above the rudderpost entry, then proceeding downward, paralleling the angle of the rudderpost. I can fill it and glass it over, but again, I'm wondering what is going on beneath there. I found another layer beneath the hull--is this the cockpit casting as well?

Does anyone know if this type of damage is typical in a CD 25? I'm not sure if these are voids from the initial factory lay-up, or if the boat was damaged at some point (the gudgeon has been worked on, poorly, in the past as well.)

I hope I'm being clear. I can certainly send pictures to anyone willing to look. Thanks a bunch!

jon

[sfreihofer]

Jon;

Pictures would certainly help me understand what you're dealing with because at this point I would just be guessing.

Stan