The Story of a Rudder

Troutbridge High & Dry

When Pete on Troutbridge arrived in Darwin shortly after us, one of the first things he wanted to do was to beach the boat to see to a few problems.

Little did he know that the port rudder had all but disappeared.  It was severely broken with a long crack across so that when several of the chaps tried to help him straighten it, it simply fell apart completely.  Disaster!   He wouldn't be able to participate in the rally under these conditions and lack of funds didn't allow him to call in a professional to rebuild it for him.

This is where Paul stepped in by stating "I will build you a rudder!"   And so, Calypso got turned into a workshop for about four days with cutting, chiseling, sanding, epoxying and fibre-glassing a new rudder.  Pete didn't have power on his boat to enable it to be made on sight.  Imagine my thrill at the state of the boat. 

After the first fitting which was remarkably close to the mark, it was a case of a few adjustments (more chiselling so more dust) and then it was just a wait for a good low tide.

The final fitting was a perfect fit but the epoxy got too hard at the last second which stopped it from seating 100% but it stuck solidly with the help of a Spanish windlass and a few more bandages of fibreglass so, hallelujah, Trouter's is back in the running and was relaunched on the next tide. 

PHOTO GALLERY:

In a sad state

The 1st fitting with John on Kailani

2nd fitting - a perfect fit

The final touches