Dear H16 Forum and Matt Miller, In the spring of '02 I started using racing rudders and have been quite pleased with them until this spring when the trailing edge of one of the rudders started deteriorating in some unexplained way. It has been a rough year out here in the New Mexico mountain lakes with winds stronger than usual. At first I thought the chipping was from some kind of impact during capsize, but each time in strong winds there was more chipping along the trailing edge. I am wondering if some one has had this experience and knows what the cause is?????? Attached are six pictures ranging in size from 310K to 870K so if you are on dial up ?.,? Will Lints

Hi Will,
Hmmm, looks bad! At the same time I think this damage could be repaired.
I think I have the same rudder blades (just the black gel coat version) Mine might be at least 5 years older than yours. My blades do not show this issue.
If impact is not causing this type of damage - have you considered sunlight(UV) - It looks like you tend to store the boat outside with the blades attached. There are several places selling coveres for hobie rudder blades.

Patrick,
You are right, the boat is stored outside with rudders attached, and yes there probably is a high UV index, but there is another rudder some 7 1/2 feet beside the one pictured with no trailing edge chipping. It looks to me like the outer laminations are not well bonded and the extream pressures and vacume on that edge may be enough to pull pieces of resin / glass loose. I don't know if that is possible or not, but if that is the case, wouldn't that require a different type of repair?
Will Lints

Thought about birds or other types of animals? Never leave your blades without cover, they are just to expensive and delicate.

Chipping? The trailing edges on the racer blade are fine and are fragile. I have not seen something chip link that without some kind of impact. At Worlds events we now have foam covers on the hiking sticks as racers toss the tiller over in gybes and tacks...when sailing with one blade up, the tiller can smack the trailing edge and chip it.