Hi
I've got some rudders with a few repairs which i'd like to cover up. Can anyone recommend a good spray paint for the job, it's got to be something with a scratch resistant finish which can be buffed up to a good gloss. It's also got to be something that comes in a spray can since I don't have access to any spray gear.

Any ideas?

Check out the Preval reusable spray can. Should be able to use any thinned two-pack polyurethane paint with it.

Do you know if you have Leaxn rudders or fiberglass? An easy way to tell is grab the rudder at the tip and try to bend it. Lexan bends fairly easily, glass won't. Rattle can scratches very easily, and I'd hold off using it if you can. If the rudders are Lexan, Oxalic acid and a scotchbrite pad followed with wetsanding to 800 will do wonders . If they are glass, they're worth fixing right with glass and gelcoat. Paint and Hobies is not the most ideal mix.

If they're old style black EPO's:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNwMgX48uwQ

Thanks Jeremy for the video,

My "Old" EPO's are in fairly good shape ... but what I'm worrying about is UV damage due to long term exposure to sunlight. I've re-coated several sets for my friends and myself w/ WEST Epoxy and sanded to 2000grit wet/dry then polished/buffed. It seems to work well ...but there is no UV Protection. Currently I remove my rudders everyday and store them in my trailer box if I'm not sailing the next day

I noticed you were using WEST's 404 Graphite Filler ... do you think that by using that filler w/ the last coat it adds UV Protection?

I actually painted my comptip white several years ago as it is of 1988 manufacture and getting "furry". I was amazed at the reduction in tempature from sunlight exposure of the comptip. I just used a can of "Fusion" spray paint ... not perfect ... I in fact need to give it another coat as it has some plotchs in it from inproper surface prep.

So I was contemplating covering the rudder blades w/ some sort of UV protection so I can keep the boat assembled at my Yacht Club "ready to sail" as it were ... maybe I'll just do the rudder blade heads that are exposed to sunlight that my rudderblade covers does not cover/protect.

I've done a fair amount of gelcoating ... alot of sanding/polishing ....

What ya think????

Harry Murphey

Yes they are white fibreglass rudders and i repaired them with glass and filler so they are structurally sound but obviously the repaired parts show up as translucent areas next to the white gelcoat.
I can't just gelcoat over those patches as I'd end up with a high area so I'd have to do the whole rudder. I guess I'm just looking for an easy solution.

Harry I think the easiest solution for you would be some rudder covers, they'd keep the sun off with the added benefit of protecteing the rudders from the small knocks they get all the time

I topcoat my old school EPO's with black epoxy appliance paint in the rattle can. It's (relatively) cheap, but looks great. Holds up well to wear and UV also. Very easy to recoat when needed (but I haven't had to in 3 years). I have rudder covers, too.

Actually, I must say, the appliance epoxy works OK on EPO's and is super simple. As Harry said, surface prep is key. Also that stuff requires 5 days to dry I think.

The Graphite does add UV protection, but the best thing you can do for rudders is keep them off the rocks and out of the sun. I forget the ratios off the top of my head, but don't mix more than 7% graphite. Any less than that and the epoxy will yellow. I experimented with taking the graphite epoxy down to 1200 and then buff. It gets shiny just like gelcoat, but it shows all the variations in color. Now I just wetsand to 800 and leave them. I think that's what the factory did. I thought about having a hundred or so foil stickers made up to make them look like NOS. I use 404 high density for filling and 7%(?) graphite. I've done about 20 pairs. It's a lot of work, but worth it.

For your white glass rudders learn to use gelcoat. Take the repair down a little and gelcoat. You've got a potentially nice set of rudders there. Fix them right and look at them as an investment in your sailing career... If fixed correctly they'll last next 20 or so years easy. Gelcoat is an important layer. It is very durable and keeps the water from getting absorbed into the glass (Yes it's porous) and later the core and causing delam.

I think I'll do a gelcoat rudder repair video next.

J