George,

I would drill out the hole to 2X it’s present diameter.  Then, coat the ID with unthickened epoxy to seal it.  After the unthickened epoxy has kicked off; but, not fully cured, fill the hole with epoxy thickened with WEST System 406 Colloidal Silica and 423 Graphite powder mixed in a 90%wt 406, 10%wt 423 ratio.  The thickener mixture should be dry blended first, not mixed separately into the epoxy.  The epoxy should be loaded with the thickener such that the mixture flows like thick pancake batter.  Mix the epoxy resin and thickener first, then add the thickener mixture, and blend it such that all the powder is wetted out with no lumps or bubbles.  After the thickened epoxy is fully cured, drill out a hole for the bolt, and you’re good to go.  The  406/423 filler mixture will provide a very hard, abrasion resistant, lubricative bearing surface for the bolt to turn on.  But, you won’t have any galling or dissimilar metal corrosion issues with the stainless steel bolt.  By waiting for the unthickened epoxy to kick off, but not fully cure, when you pour in the thickened epoxy, you will have a molecular and mechanical bond with the rudder substrate that will never fail.  This repair will last a very long time.

Roger Pihlaja
S/V Dynamic Equilibrium

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From: Graham Stewart<mailto:gstewart8 at cogeco.ca>
Sent: Sunday, August 2, 2020 10:27 PM
To: 'The Rhodes 22 Email List'<mailto:rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Rudder Bolt Hole Enlarged

George:

Might you epoxy in a tube, preferably stainless steel but aluminum might do,  that has an opening that is the proper diameter.

Graham Stewart
Agile, Rodes 22, 1976
Kingston Ontario

-----Original Message-----
From: Rhodes22-list [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On Behalf Of Gmorganflier
Sent: Sunday, August 2, 2020 9:56 PM
To: rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org
Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Rudder Bolt Hole Enlarged

I took my rudder and rudder cheeks off today in preparation to paint them.
The hole in the rudder where the pivot bolt goes through is quite
enlarged....probably twice the diameter of the bolt. I noticed the plywood
core where the hole goes through was wet. I feared maybe my entire rudder
was waterlogged, but after turning the rudder upside down and leaving it in
the sun, the hole appears to be drying up. There are no cracks or damaged
areas which would allow water intrusion. The bolt hole seems to be the only
way water is getting in and we did have rain yesterday.
My question to those who are so much more experienced than me in boating
repairs....what should I do to stop water from getting in the rudder through
this bolt hole. Maybe enlarge the hole even more and epoxy some sort of
bushing for the bolt to go through? I’m open for suggestions.

Thanks,
George Morgan
1986 R22 S/V Knotty Lady



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