First, any "flaps" that get applied to the skeg will get applied after everything is back together. My biggest concern right now is that the thickness of the TOP of the skeg compared to the skeg remnant that was under the pintle plate is 1/4" thicker. Just the opposite (as i recall) of the skeg instructions under "technical" on the T37 home page. This will push the rudder down 1/4" and I had (I believe) proper clearance to begin with. Or maybe the pintle bearing just won't be fully engaged within the rudderpost.
NOW, I cut 3" off the back of the skeg just because the "technical" instructions was all I had to go by. Clearly, something has to come off. I put a straightedge in the foremost portion of the rudder stock tube above and measured down 22" (same distance as about top of the rudder to the bottom of the rudderpost at the pintle plate) and made sure I had about 2" of clearance behind when I had the skeg mocked up in place. It looks to me the measurement on the rudder from the forward edge of the post taking in the curve of the rudder going forward is about 1.5" at roughly the same location. Once it's all dry fitted, rudder & skeg, I can cut more off the skeg if I have to. I have yet to cut back any further on the top of the skeg as shown in the tech resources, but I may do that just to eliminate the little "shelf."
Thing is, the skeg extends slightly aft (less than 2"?) of the near vertical line formed by the forward edge of those "flaps" on the hull above. I just sought the best mating surface between skeg and hull, noting that I have to lop off less than 2" of the forward point of the skeg at the mating surface. This makes the "best" width of the top of the skeg to the flat receiving surface of the hull where the bolts go through. Damned if I know what I'm doing, but a little West System (407?) and a little glass and I can smooth out the joint nicely. I'll fabricate some "flaps" for the skeg when the time comes. I think you may be thinking (as I did) that the skeg itself makes up the "flaps." But the width isn't right (narrower) to run fair to the rudder itself. Fabricating some add-on flaps with West System and biax will be a snap.
I have a delrin washer at the top of the rudder to prevent "floating up," and need to take apart (remove pin) the bushing at the pintle and get a 3/16" washer under the bushing. I put in a 1/8" delrin washer, which was clearly too thin, but I'm going back to stainless. I don't think that washer ever did anything, and I don't think there is any weight bearing on the pintle plate.
When all this is done and goes back together for good, I'll load the rudderpost with water pump grease. I had to do a little filling on some voids in the rudderpost shaft log and I need to smooth those out as well as the area in the rudder where the bushing inserts. Finally filling the "gap" in the rudder with soft West System filler.
I foamed inside the skeg and I'll be sealing it off with glass and West System after dryfit and any further surgery. Barrier coat, Micron 66 in that living ecosystem forward of the rudder, and i should be all done. A squirt bottle full of Micron 66 should reach everything for the last hit with bottom paint.
I'm in the V.I. right now and the boat is in Maine, but I've got photos and when I get a minute I'll throw some up. I think dryfit and steering check on all this is key before hardening up.
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