PS Advisor: Water-logged Rudder

Quick-fix prescriptions won’t cure the problem.

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Each year, the rudder on my 1986 C&C 35-3 has to have water drained from it. It is my belief that water gets in from the shaft/stock entrance to the rudder, but with the rudder in place, access is restricted.

From speaking with other boaters, I’ve found it to be a common problem. The initial concern is of water freezing inside and splitting the rudder, but I also have the longer-term implication of possible internal, and unseen, corrosion.

For now, I drill a couple of holes in the fall, and epoxy them before launch. Is there a fitting that could be implanted in the rudder, with a screw to be easily removed for drainage?

 

Harold Higginbottom
Blue Mist, C&C 25
Celtic Spirit, C&C 35-3,
Hamilton, Ontario

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You definitely are not alone in having this problem.

 

 

Practical Sailor

Technical Editor Ralph Naranjo describes his own soggy rudder woes in “Keep a Close Watch on

PS Advisor: Water-logged Rudder

Photo by Ralph Naranjo

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Marine Metals” in the February 2007 issue. In his case, a subcontractor’s use of dissimilar metals in the rudder stock led to total rudder failure on his Ericson 41.

 

 

 

work in the short term, alleviating the symptom, but it is not a long-term fix for the actual problem.

 

 

 

 

 

Another quick fix is drying out the cavity and injecting epoxy, if the metal armature is still in good shape. Putting a drain plug on the rudder can be done, but due to the thin fiberglass skin, it will sit above the surface.

Drilling the same spot each fall and epoxy patching it in the spring makes sense. There are some who leave the drain hole open year-round, knowing that the water gets in anyway. But here’s the gamble: How corrosion-resistant is the hidden structure welded to the stock?

 

 

 

C&C 35 rudders have a history of corrosion issues linked to water intrusion. All rudders are designed to keep the welded internal web structure protected from water contact, but most fail to do so.

In this case, having welded gussets on the stock in a wet, corrosive environment will eventually lead to problems. In fresh water, the deterioration is slowed but not eliminated.

One step would be to research the history of your C&C 35’s sister ships with such rudder problems. Also monitor any rust stains, and if possible, acquire a construction detail plan that shows how the web was added to the rudder stock.

Because you live in an area where below-freezing temperatures are common, not draining the water will lead to further deterioration. However, draining the water is like bailing faster: It may

 

 

 

Darrell Nicholson
Practical Sailor has been independently testing and reporting on sailboats and sailing gear for more than 50 years. Supported entirely by subscribers, Practical Sailor accepts no advertising. Its independent tests are carried out by experienced sailors and marine industry professionals dedicated to providing objective evaluation and reporting about boats, gear, and the skills required to cross oceans. Practical Sailor is edited by Darrell Nicholson, a long-time liveaboard sailor and trans-Pacific cruiser who has been director of Belvoir Media Group's marine division since 2005. He holds a U.S. Coast Guard 100-ton Master license, has logged tens of thousands of miles in three oceans, and has skippered everything from pilot boats to day charter cats. His weekly blog Inside Practical Sailor offers an inside look at current research and gear tests at Practical Sailor, while his award-winning column,"Rhumb Lines," tracks boating trends and reflects upon the sailing life. He sails a Sparkman & Stephens-designed Yankee 30 out of St. Petersburg, Florida. You can reach him by email at practicalsailor@belvoir.com.