Wet Rudder Repair

Terry Monville

My friend Chris bought a 33' fiberglass sailboat, a Cal 33, to use as his family cruiser. Because it was an older boat, he knew he had a few projects ahead—including drying out the rudder. Here in Michigan, we haul our boats out of the water for the winter and it gives us a chance to do repairs and inspect under the waterline. After hauling out the boat and storing it in the barn for the winter, Chris asked me to advise him on repairing the rudder. We found two smaller delaminated spots on one side of the rudder and a sizeable one on the other, along with a 6" crack near the rudder shaft. After drilling a few 3/8" drainage holes through the fiberglass skin and into the foam…

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Sailing World (Digital) - 1 Issue, Summer 2022

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