The paint/coating (or whatever it is) of my rudder blades is starting to fall off (see image). It goes of really easily. If you put a piece of tape on it, and tear it off the paint will stick to tape. Does anybody know what to do (other than buying a new set of blades). I have no idea how to restore the extremely smooth surface.

Thanks
Ceitzi

I suggest contacting Marstrom since that is one of his rudders.

Bob

Possibly you could strip off the coating, sand and apply a new coating. If you are nervous about that follow Bob's suggestion.

It looks like the the rudder has a clear coat paint covering. This peeling is probably a result of a nick or scratch letting the elements (water) to work itself under the coating which causes the coating to release. The spot just gets bigger and bigger. Another way this starts is simply the coating was thin to start with or wet sanding and polishing thinned the coating. Paint needs to be a certian thickness to be durable.

At any rate you should contact Marstrom and find out what they painted it with (or if they did) then you could go to any body shop and have them refinish it. Just make sure the body shop doesn't use power sanders to sand. It should all be carefully block sanded by hand to keep the shape.

Marstrom says its a UV problem. They proposed to use 2K acrylik paint or a 2K polyurethane. They offered to paint them for me for EUR 40 each. I think this is what I will do.

Ceitzi

That's EUR40 well spent. Strange that the rudders get a UV problem tough, do you leave them on the boat after sailing?

They will probably come back something like this old sets of re-painted rudders.

http://www.tornado-norge.org/stockholm2005/_DSC2943.JPG

> Strange that the rudders get a UV problem tough, do you leave them on the boat after sailing?

No. They are usually covered (during shorter breaks) or dismounted (after sailing). I also cannot remember flying a hull for such a large amount of time that UV exposure of the rudders would be relevant :-)

>They will probably come back something like this old sets >of re-painted rudders.

That looks really cool.

Ceitzi

]

that's DEFINITELY worth EUR40.

That was a sweet paint job on those rudder!