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382 Rudder - Repair or Replace?

S

Stewart

New Member
Walk around shots of rudder corrosion, gudgeon and trailing edge. Any feel for extent? Exploratory holes superfluous?

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The interior of the original Morgan rudders had a mild steel frame, welded to the stainless rudder post. You will not be able to repair it, because you cannot access it without destroying the rudder. Your pictures reveal major internal failure. They were very well built rudders, from my inspection of mine, but ... yours must be 45 years old. Call Foss Foam in Florida. They will make you the 383/4 rudder, which will fit and will be slightly more effective. Reasonable cost and helpful folks.
 
Stewart

Terry said it perfectly. Your rudder is unrepairable. We replaced our 382 rudder years ago with a 383/384 rudder from Foss Foam. The new unit is slightly larger but we never noticed any difference in performance.

Jim
 
Interesting. Thanks guys. I've been reading the older thread on the topic - so we know it's rusting internally.

My question is if others who've seen the same can gauge the "stage" this rudder is in - good for another season, imminent failure, etc.?

Sounds like pushing it would be a bad idea.
 
Stewart

When we replaced our rudder there was rust coming from the gudgeon fitting only. Yours appears to be in much worse shape.

Jim
 
There is no way to know without cutting it open, but it looks like it's probably in the imminent failure category. With the trailing and bottom edge splitting, the rust inside is severe. It might take very little usage for the frame to break from the post.
 
Thanks guys. Will get a quote from Foss Foam monday. New rudder and replace cutlass bearing at the same time.
 
Stewart

Something to think about when you are dropping the rudder. By installing a drive saver disk at your engine coupling, you can shorten the shaft just a little to allow you to remove the prop (standard fixed three blade) without having to drop the rudder in the future.

Jim
 
Most recent Foss Foam pricing, 2023:

Fully new rudder, $4038 plus shipping. Shipped to anywhere on East Coast estimated $350-400.
The new rudder will come gelcoated. You'll need to sand and barrier coat before applying bottom paint.

Or hammer off puddy on original rudder and ship remaining rudder post w/ plate to Foss Foam. New rudder built around original post: $2500 plus shipping. Sand, barrier coat before applying bottom paint.
 
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Stewart,
As long as the main shaft is still straight and true, and not damaged...
I know which way I'd go. If you use your existing parts, you know the fit will be appropriate too. I'd be really surprised if the original shaft wasn't rebuildable by Foss. Plus you'd have the updated design.
Just my .02, that's all it's worth
Mitchell
 
Stewart

If you open the old rudder and find that the weld where the plate attaches to the post is too far gone, will they charge you to fix it?

Jim
 
jimcleary said:
Stewart

If you open the old rudder and find that the weld where the plate attaches to the post is too far gone, will they charge you to fix it?

Jim
Click to expand...

Well as explained to me, their fix is to weld new plates around either side of existing old plate. I chisel away the old rudder form, send Foss only the old stem w/ plate attached. Shipping that old steel down there should be $80 or something, so I'm told. They don't remove the old plate regardless of status of original welds, just add new plates / new welds onto old stem. Then build out remainder of rudder in the 383/384 form. Glass it up, gelcoat it, send it back. The old plate remains encased. And they advise barrier coating the entire thing once I get it back. The old steel remains but is supposedly sealed within. Should last another 40 years until we're all dead. That's the $2500 (plus 350-400 return shipping) option.

So +/- $3k for old rudder repaired / rebuilt.
Or $4500 for entirely new steel / new rudder.

Boat also needs all new standing rigging, 1979 original standing rigging never replaced.
AC / shorepower rewired.
Sails cleaned and repaired or just a new set.
And there's potentially something going on with the keel. Unless past damage was glassed rather than just filled.
Rudders probably priority on project list.
 
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