More CD 25 rudder questions

[Dave]

Jim's posting about his rudder repair made me go out and look at the condition of the rudder on my own boat. Come to find out it is delaminating off the stock also. Any help on these question would be very much appriciated.

1. If you look at the leading edge of the rudder is there suppose to be fiberglass all the way around the rudder stock? About half my rudder stock is exposed and didn't know if this is how is it suppose to be.

2. I did a search on this subject and found what looks like to be a repair kit that is offered through Bristal Bronze. Has anybody had any experience with using one of these kits? I am going to call tomorrow to get more details.

3. If the rudder still has no flex to it latterally could I use epoxy to resecure the rudder back down? Again it's only about the top six inches that is delaminating

4. How do you remove the (not sure what the part is called) bronze fitting on the top of the rudder stock that the tiller attaches to? I haven't looked that closely, but assume that it is keyed on some how.

Thanks you for any and all responces.

Dave D.
CD25 R&R
Gloucester, MA



ddsailor25@ureach.com

[Tim]

I have looked at a number of CD25, and most have little or no material covering the post portion of the rudder. I dont believe it is a problem. The rudder design does not rely on the post for strenth. I hope someone with more information than I can illuminate this subject before too many owners become concerned about a minor situation. Mine has been the same for 5 years.



Jim's posting about his rudder repair made me go out and look at the condition of the rudder on my own boat. Come to find out it is delaminating off the stock also. Any help on these question would be very much appriciated.

1. If you look at the leading edge of the rudder is there suppose to be fiberglass all the way around the rudder stock? About half my rudder stock is exposed and didn't know if this is how is it suppose to be.

2. I did a search on this subject and found what looks like to be a repair kit that is offered through Bristal Bronze. Has anybody had any experience with using one of these kits? I am going to call tomorrow to get more details.

3. If the rudder still has no flex to it latterally could I use epoxy to resecure the rudder back down? Again it's only about the top six inches that is delaminating

4. How do you remove the (not sure what the part is called) bronze fitting on the top of the rudder stock that the tiller attaches to? I haven't looked that closely, but assume that it is keyed on some how.

Thanks you for any and all responces.

Dave D.
CD25 R&R
Gloucester, MA

tsanborn@prodigy.net

[Dave Cristini]

I searched the board, but didn't actually find any pictures of the conditions that people describe. I've taken some shots of my '77, and while not in great shape, the rudder is by no means falling off. I'll touch it up this season, and maybe next season remove (if not too big of a project), but it isn't loose, by any means. I just want to make sure it is watertight so as to prevent rotting. Anyone out there care to comment, is this what people are describing as rudder delamination, etc? Also, how would Bristol Bronze help solve this, if in fact it is what people have posted on the board in the past----?

Hopefully, the pictures (and posts!) will help clarify this for everyone.

Dave



David@Cristini.net

[Ed K]

when we bought our CD25 I noticed that she had this rudder problem as well. The surveyor didn't think it was a major concern, and it was comon for these boats. Hope he's right. I gave it a good tug to try to loosen it and it is solid as a rock. If I ever have to pull the rudder I will probably recover it. I'm curious about the Bristol Bronze fix.

Ed K.



ekillian@eznet.net

[Eric]

This is the same problem Allia has, only Allia is not as far gone as this one. I would condsider this a BIG deal and fix it now. It will not get better on its own and this has to lead to the thing falling off at some point. True, that some point could be years from now, but it could also be tomorrow. IT will also get more complicated to fix the longer it goes on.

ERic

I searched the board, but didn't actually find any pictures of the conditions that people describe. I've taken some shots of my '77, and while not in great shape, the rudder is by no means falling off. I'll touch it up this season, and maybe next season remove (if not too big of a project), but it isn't loose, by any means. I just want to make sure it is watertight so as to prevent rotting. Anyone out there care to comment, is this what people are describing as rudder delamination, etc? Also, how would Bristol Bronze help solve this, if in fact it is what people have posted on the board in the past----?

Hopefully, the pictures (and posts!) will help clarify this for everyone.

Dave

[Joe Lawson]

I e-mailed Roger at Bristol Bronze and asked him about my rudder which has about a 1/2 inch of the shaft exposed on the top. I asked him if it should be repaired now, here is his response:

"Your rudder problem is something that will have to be corrected sooner or later but I don't think it is that serious. Your fiberglass rudder is held onto the rudder post with three drift pins that come out from the rudder post and into the rudder itself. The fiberglass rudder was actually molded around the drift pins after they were attached to the rudder post. Unless there are other cracks in the
rudder you can probably get through one season with it the way that it is.

The good news is that fiberglass is easy to repair. The bad news is that you will probably have to drop your rudder and take it to some to have the repairs made. As long as the rudder itself shows no signs of separating from the post you should be able to use it this Summer. Next Fall plan on having the boat hauled and set in a position that allows the rudder to be removed as easily as possible. Once the
rudder is out any good fiberglass guy should be able to do the repairs for you.

Roger W.
Bristol Bronze
401-625-5224"

Jim's posting about his rudder repair made me go out and look at the condition of the rudder on my own boat. Come to find out it is delaminating off the stock also. Any help on these question would be very much appriciated.

1. If you look at the leading edge of the rudder is there suppose to be fiberglass all the way around the rudder stock? About half my rudder stock is exposed and didn't know if this is how is it suppose to be.

2. I did a search on this subject and found what looks like to be a repair kit that is offered through Bristal Bronze. Has anybody had any experience with using one of these kits? I am going to call tomorrow to get more details.

3. If the rudder still has no flex to it latterally could I use epoxy to resecure the rudder back down? Again it's only about the top six inches that is delaminating

4. How do you remove the (not sure what the part is called) bronze fitting on the top of the rudder stock that the tiller attaches to? I haven't looked that closely, but assume that it is keyed on some how.

Thanks you for any and all responces.

Dave D.
CD25 R&R
Gloucester, MA

jl0246@alpha.rwu.edu

[Chris Mullins]

Don't panic about the rudder. The entire shaft on mine has been uncovered since I got the boat, and I've sailed her to hell and back. I'm getting ready to fix it now, but only since Jim mentioned it. Of more concern to me is the rudder shaft, which has deteriorated near the bottom till it looks like a hollow pipe instead of a solid post. Also wierd but fixable is the 1/2" or so of what looks like bondo on both sides of the deadwood. Half inch thick, I mean. Do you suppose they did this at the factory? I'll be grinding for a month between that, gelcoat blisters, a new deck, and fixing up the cockpit. Totally worth it, she sails like a dream.



douglas_rock@hotmail.com