Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.
Maggie (1978) has a crack at the top of her rudder, in the notch where the aft end of the tiller rests when the tiller is at the downward angle. The crack runs down and aft from the notch. This was a small crack that I neglected dealing with - shame on me - that has now grown after some fun heavy days on Puget Sound. There is now a small observable flex of the top section of the rudder when the tiller is pulled hard.
Inside the crack I see plywood, so it appears to me that this rudder is not of the newer foam cored variety. My question is the same as many who have come before me - repair or replace? I don't have a picture right now but I could get one.
I replaced. That same plywood core is supporting the gudgeons, where the lower one takes the greatest lateral stress, particularly when the boat is heeled and pitching through some chop while you're pulling against some weather helm.
I have been on another boat when the rudder failed under those conditions, and you don't want to go through it. (Sudden tack, backwinded genny, a hard spin into a jibe, a scramble to get the genny down, general confusion... !!) So when I bought my then 15-yr-old C-25 with a crack between the two shells on the rudder, I replaced it with the foam-cored fiberglass balanced rudder. It was like switching from manual to POWER STEERING!
Dave Bristle Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired), Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge
Not trying to hijack the thread, but I'm in the same spot. My rudder has a long crack down the back seam and its a plywood core. Its next on the upgrade list. I would have already done it but the bow damage has set the boat budget back some. Anyone use the blue water rudder with a swing keel or are they mainly for the fixed keel boats? My stock rudder already is about 3" lower in the water than the keel when its up. I cranked the keel down a few turns just so it will hit first while I'm motoring out. Just curious if there is a performance benefit that offsets the extra draft.
I think they just used the same rudder on all keels. The bluewater, I think, is HMW polyester and flexing is common under load with a few reports of breaking. Pearl's rudder was modified by a previous owner to a kick up. I think a kick up foam cored would be best.
Dave B. aboard Pearl 1982 TR/SK/Trad. #3399 Lake Erie/Florida Panhandle
As I understand it (and I might be out of date), CD's "blue water" rudder is one of several made by Ruddercraft for the C-25. Another is a kick-up rudder that's a good option for wing or swing keels. All are solid HDPE (high-density polyethylene--like Starboard). I have heard of some instances of HDPE rudders snapping under stress, since its tolerance to bending is very low. Hopefully, the "blue water" version is thick enough to prevent that. I recall, however, that it is deeper than the original equipment rudders--thus much deeper than the wing or raised swing keel.
The other option that I believe CD still offers is a fiberglass-shelled, foam cored, balanced-design rudder that became the original equipment around 1988. It might be more tolerant of lateral bending forces--I haven't heard of one breaking, including all of the OEM units from '88-'91 (not to say it hasn't happened). That's the one I bought from them, and I was very happy with it. But my C-25 was a fin keel model.
Dave Bristle Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired), Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge
I'm newer to sailing and really new to this 78 C-25 I trailered home from Oregon. I've been putting in some time on projects a little here and there. It didn't have an engine or a serviceable mount and I have just gotten those elements completed. Starting to look at the interior set up a bit. The rear lazarette(i think that's the name) anyway that thing is huge. I could stack my 2 kids in there and 2 of their friends. Have NO idea how to organize it. It has some shelf supports in there but?? Do you just chuck stuff in and yard sale it out to get to the bottom?
I would really LOVE to see another C-25. See how things are set up. What stores well where? How are you running your gas line? I've got an electric start?
Notice you have a fixed keel. Mine swings.
I am going to put my phone number here on the chance you would be willing to spend just a few minutes with a new Puget Sound C-25er. 530-2152 My area code is the one to the north of Seattle. Edmonds.
I'm newer to sailing and really new to this 78 C-25 I trailered home from Oregon. I've been putting in some time on projects a little here and there. It didn't have an engine or a serviceable mount and I have just gotten those elements completed. Starting to look at the interior set up a bit. The rear lazarette(i think that's the name) anyway that thing is huge. I could stack my 2 kids in there and 2 of their friends. Have NO idea how to organize it. It has some shelf supports in there but?? Do you just chuck stuff in and yard sale it out to get to the bottom?
I would really LOVE to see another C-25. See how things are set up. What stores well where? How are you running your gas line? I've got an electric start?
Notice you have a fixed keel. Mine swings.
I am going to put my phone number here on the chance you would be willing to spend just a few minutes with a new Puget Sound C-25er. My area code is the one to the north of Seattle. Edmonds.
Thanks!
I'd recommend you remove your phone number immediately and instead ask people to send you a private email using the email address in your profile if they want to talk with you. Or respond here on the forum, maybe with some pictures.
As for your question, I keep life jackets and extra lines hanging in what we usually refer to as the "dumpster". I'm sure most people do what works for them so you may get a dozen different response but all will have valuable information.
Likewise, Gary, in case he follows your advice, I'll recommend you edit his phone number out of the quote in your post.
Dave Bristle Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired), Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge
Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ. The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.