Do not use Teak or wooden plugs - the previous owner of my boat did and
they soaked right through. I drilled them out and filled with thickened
epoxy followed by gel coat and bottom paint.

I also have the wet rudder issue - I was told it's characteristic of the
C&C due to the excess stress the rudders take to stabilize the boat when
sailing upwind causes the seal at the rudder shaft to flex open over time.

Dan
Breakaweigh
C&C44
Halifax NS


On Mon, Jun 4, 2018 at 1:50 PM, Nathan Post via CnC-List <
cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote:

> Thanks for all the feedback and experiences with rudder maintenance!
> Sounding more and more like the thing to do is dry out the rudder, seal it
> up best we can, and then drain it in the fall.  I like the idea of
> removable plugs for the future for checking/draining if required.
> Nathan
>
>
> On Mon, Jun 4, 2018 at 9:57 AM, John Irvin via CnC-List <
> cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote:
>
>> Same problem on a 27 Mk III. What we do is have rain holes, one near the
>> top of the rudder , one low down on the leading edge, one on the bottom. In
>> sailing season we insert threaded plugs sealed with Vaseline to keep the
>> rudder dry. They come out in the fall, a few drops leak out and the rudder
>> dries out over the winter. (On the hard in Ontario). Has been successful
>> for over 10 years so far.
>> ------------------------------
>> *From:* CnC-List <cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com> on behalf of Matthew L.
>> Wolford via CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com>
>> *Sent:* Monday, June 4, 2018 9:17 AM
>> *To:* cnc-list@cnc-list.com
>> *Cc:* Matthew L. Wolford
>> *Subject:* Re: Stus-List C&C 34 1981 Wet rudder - necessary to
>> rebuild/replace?
>>
>> The rudder on my 1976 C&C 42 Custom was also wet when I bought the boat.
>> My repair guru drilled a bunch of holes in a pattern, put the rudder in a
>> plywood box that he made for this purpose, and “baked” it at about 150
>> degrees for two or three weeks.  He then filled all the holes with West
>> System and put several layers of barrier coat on the surface.  He also did
>> something to seal the area where the rudder post enters at the top (which,
>> like your boat, is normally out of the water).  We checked the rudder with
>> a moisture meter for a couple years after the fix, and it stayed dry.  I
>> haven’t checked it lately and am not concerned.  I don’t know if salt water
>> creates an additional issue (I’m on freshwater).
>>
>> *From:* Nathan Post via CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com>
>> *Sent:* Monday, June 04, 2018 8:03 AM
>> *To:* cnc-list@cnc-list.com
>> *Cc:* Nathan Post <nathan8...@gmail.com>
>> *Subject:* Stus-List C&C 34 1981 Wet rudder - necessary to
>> rebuild/replace?
>>
>> Hello all,
>>
>> I'm new to this list - my wife and I just purchased a 1981 C&C 34 center
>> board version.  The boat has been on the hard for about 1.5 years after
>> being a salt water boat here in the Boston area.  The surveyor assessed
>> that the rudder was "saturated and delaminating" and he recommended
>> rebuilding or replacing it due to concern about corrosion of the stainless
>> rudder post in the low-oxygen environment inside the rudder.  (My surveyor
>> wasn't specifically familiar with the C&C boats from this vintage).  I
>> called South Shore Yachts last week to inquire about getting a new rudder
>> built - but they suggested that it likely wasn't necessary and that they
>> had never seen one fail due to corrosion of the stainless steel rudder post
>> (which is my main concern) and that while most likely the welded carbon
>> steel plate inside the rudder would have surface rust it wasn't likely to
>> be a structural issue.
>>
>> Following the recommendation from them and on some of the forums, I
>> drilled several 1/4" holes in the rudder to investigate further.  The hole
>> in the bottom drilled upwards just hit fiberglass for the length of the
>> drill bit ~2.5 inches as did a side hole about 3 inches up.  In the side
>> about 5 inches up from the bottom, I did hit water that drained out and
>> another hole about 12 inches from the top in the middle of the side also
>> hit water and saturated soft foam.  I did not hit a metal plate in either
>> location.  The hole in the top went through a layer of fiber glass in the
>> middle and then into foam in the other side.  Combined both holes drained
>> about 3 cups of water from the rudder in the first hour or so and maybe a
>> little more over night.  The water that drained out was not rust colored
>> but rather tinted black.  So the surveyor was correct that the rudder is
>> full of water and the foam inside is pretty soft.  However, it also seems
>> like the fiberglass is thick and pretty solid and there is no sign of
>> cracking from it freezing during the winter.
>>
>> Obviously, I would prefer to avoid the cost of rebuilding/replacing the
>> rudder if it isn't necessary, but also don't want to take on too high a
>> risk of having a catastrophic failure of the rudder while under way. Once
>> the rudder dries out a bit, I could just fill the holes I drilled with
>> epoxy and perhaps try to seal around where the rudder post comes out of the
>> top which is where I assume the water got in the first place since it
>> didn't drain out with the boat on the hard for over a year.
>>
>> Any experience out there investigating potential corrosion of similar
>> vintage and design C&C rudders or other recommendations?
>>
>> Thanks in advance!
>>
>> Nathan
>>
>> ~~~
>>
>> Nathan Post
>> S/V Wisper
>> C&C 34
>> Malden, MA USA
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------
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>>
>> Thanks everyone for supporting this list with your contributions.  Each
>> and every one is greatly appreciated.  If you want to support the list -
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>>
>
> _______________________________________________
>
> Thanks everyone for supporting this list with your contributions.  Each
> and every one is greatly appreciated.  If you want to support the list -
> use PayPal to send contribution --   https://www.paypal.me/stumurray
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