Fairing rudders

It's always best to repair the nicks and dings with fiberglass first, then you can gelcoat. If you want to spray with a paint gun, you need to add 1/2 Duratec high gloss additive (it's $85 a gallon, but worth it) and 1/2 gelcoat. This will give you a much better finish and a lot less wet sanding to get it to a smooth high glass finish. When you add the MEKP...just catalyse the gelcoat not the Duratec. I use 10 cc's per 1 pint of gelcoat, so if you fill the quart cup, only put 10 cc's. If you decide not to use the Duratec, you can't use a paint gun, you will have to use a gelcoat cup gun or roll on a couple of coats, these methods require a considerable amount of sanding. Hope this helps.

Edited by KennyB on Mar 23, 2012 - 05:51 AM.

Depends on how big your nicks and dings are. You can add filler to gel-coat and use that, it's just not quite as easy as other options. Gel coat brushed on can be pretty thick.

golfdad75,

I use this on my rudders and centerboards.

http://www.solarez.com/productsnew/e_extreme.html

Structurally it is great. Cures hard in 5 minutes in the sun, but you can still sand and shape it easily. It is fiberglass impregnated epoxy, and dries translucent. Cover it with gelcoat afterward. After years of using MarineTex and other two-part puttys, this stuff is great. I fixed 30+ dings in rudders and centerboards in a weekend. Watch the videos about fixing the surfboard ding to get the process.

That's cool stuff! I'm heading into town today to pick up bits for my boat. I'll keep an eye out for this stuff.

Thanks!

Tom

Hey, quick question about this stuff:

I'm watching the video on fixing tail damage to a surf board. Just from watching this, it seems like you could use this stuff to build back a ground-off tip on a rudder blade. Is this one of the dings you've used it for, Bob? I haven't even started work on the rudder blades on my boat, but that's one of the issues I'm going to have to work on.

Thanks,

Tom

solarez looks interesting..

If it is epoxy won't I have a problem gel coating over it?

i like the look of the Solarez stuff. Gonna gave to try some someday.

Is is tough enough to stand and heal the bumps and indents on Nacra rudders when you smack them down and they contact with the housings near the pins up top of the housing that damages the blades?? Got a set that Chris brought in from the EAST COAST ( Canada) for me that need help there..) Not cheap either!! Yes East Cost $$.. And Yellow?? .. Have to gelcole them so nobody on the beach laughs after I fix them.. Was thinking that I would have to do a cloth repair to that area. Nice to do it with Solarez.. HELP !! Cheers Hal

I have good luck with 3M High Strength Repair Filler. I can across this when a guy at our yard was fairing his J24.

Have used it to repair rudders, dagger board and the hulls of my I 20. A lot easier that mixing up the West Systems and filler, and sands out real nice....no air bubbles.

benedict wrote: I'm watching the video on fixing tail damage to a surf board. Just from watching this, it seems like you could use this stuff to build back a ground-off tip on a rudder blade. Is this one of the dings you've used it for, Bob?

Exactly what I used it for, and it worked really well to replace two corners on my rudders. Use the Solarez Extreme product. It's the hardest.
Sheet In!

Edited by klozhald on Mar 26, 2012 - 10:20 AM.

Apologies!

golfdad75 wrote: If it is epoxy won't I have a problem gel coating over it?

Sorry, it is not epoxy, it is a fiberglass impregnated polyester resin. Once it cures, it can be prepped (sanded/shaped) just like fiberglass and takes gelcoat well.

What I like best about his stuff is that you don't have to mix anything, there are no bubbles so long as you pay attention when you put it in place, and in good sun you are ready to do your final sanding in 5 minutes or less.

I have used three of their products, one specifically for an old windsurfer that had a part of the deck missing the size of my palm. I thought I was going to have to throw that board out.

Edited by klozhald on Mar 26, 2012 - 11:40 AM.

halliske wrote: Is is tough enough to stand and heal the bumps and indents on Nacra rudders when you smack them down and they contact with the housings near the pins up top of the housing that damages the blades??

The Solarez Extreme is stronger than fiberglass or gelcoat. Will it stand up to being hammered in the situation you describe? I don't know. Would anything withstand that? I did repair the pivot hole on both my centerboards and the top of my rudder where it used to strike the metal sheaves in the casting (until I learned how to adjust the rudders in the casting). Both of these areas are high stress, and I am very happy with the outcome.

Sheet In!

benedict wrote: That's cool stuff! I'm heading into town today to pick up bits for my boat. I'll keep an eye out for this stuff.

Hey Tom, They have dealers world-wide, including one in Hawaii.

http://solarez.com/distrib.html

Pa'u Hana

Bob

JohnES wrote: I have good luck with 3M High Strength Repair Filler.

Hey John,

Does it have any effect on the foam sandwich layer on old catamarans?
I can't find a good FAQ on it.

Bob

Cool! Thanks for the pointer, Bob. I went looking over the weekend and couldn't find any. I'll give this guy a call today and see if I can order some.

Tom

P.S. Man, I'm looking forward to being pau on this boat. I want to get it in the water!

Alright I have ordered the solarez, I don't have a lot of nicks. My next question is spraying gelcoat. I read somewhere that the boards should lay flat to keep the gel coat from running. Let dry and flip over.Or do I even want to gel coat? paint? Any advice?

Edited by golfdad75 on Mar 28, 2012 - 09:57 AM.

look for my recent thread in the technical help forum on refinishing epo rudders. Two great links for
refinishing. apparently most people apply epoxy with a foam roller and wet sand.

golfdad75 wrote: My next question is spraying gelcoat. I read somewhere that the boards should lay flat to keep the gel coat from running. Let dry and flip over.Or do I even want to gel coat? paint?

Do you really need to spray it? I looked at spraying when I had to do big hull repairs but it was cost prohibitive to equip myself properly (cup gun, HVLP Compressor, etc) so I just applied with a foam brush, sanded, wet sanded, and polished. Turned out great IMHO. Use of Prevail sprayers may be possible if the area is small enough.

Klozhald, thanks for the tip on solarez. It is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Everbody needs some.

golfdad75 wrote: Klozhald, thanks for the tip on solarez. It is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Everbody needs some.

After I completed my first repair with it, I howled at the moon (sun, actually) and danced in the garage. My relationship with Marine Tex and other two-part mixes was almost history.

As far as gelcoat, prep the area as you would any fiberglass, then roll it on thinly and wet sand it smooth, repeating until you are happy with the coverage. I have only gelcoated two of my 35+ hull/rudders/centerboards repairs yet, as I am planning to spray gelcoat at the end of this season.

Sheet In!