1 (!!) of my rudder blades is split partly at the "seam". From mid top down the front of the blade almost exactly where the blade is hold in the casting. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> Amazingly enough the blade still feels strong although I can squeeze it a little when dis-assembled. Used fresh hot water to remove any salt. With a screwdriver I can increase aperture.
Intend to make repair with 2 component epoxy and clamp it during hardening. Anybody any experience whether this will last or am I wasting time?

Additionally I found strang kind of damage on front edge at the lowest position of the casting. It looks like being made with a disk grinder but it doesn't make any sense. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> We have still been unable to find the cause of this damage...

Just for the record: I bought my H16 #99173 [1992]in 2002 and have used it intensively since <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Eddie van Leeuwen

Seems a tricky request as nobody is replying. Spare rudder blades are rather expensive in our country. Almost 2x the price they're sold for in the USA [and Euros instead of US $....] Getting new ones from the States in time before "Texel" June 7th will be critical. Made a deal and will get used one(s) in time and trade-in the old one(s). The company specificly asked me not to experiment with repairs myself and was rather confident the blades would still last. Indeed we had a splendid Saturday with gusts exceeding 25 knots. Nothing happened. Texel would be cancelled under these circumstances I'm afraid .. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Nobody replied? I fixed a number of rudders, some new ones even before they split as you describe. I sanded as flat as possible then epoxied on a strip of 25 mm Kevlar woven tape.
The rudder "cases" want to split because of the bending one way then the other.

My current problem is redrilling rudders to make rudder pressure versus raked mast correct. I cannot find redrilling specs in this thread. My rudders are still too far aft.