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Pilgrim has been on the hard for years and had the telltale bolt in the bottom of the rudder. I removed it a year and a half ago and it still dripped recently. I've been psyching myself up for this project and finally attacked it.
First I loosened the cables. The post here said to mark the cable, but I didn't see where they meant. The wheel had a key so it can only go one place, so I removed it. Crawling over the water heater I loosened the pintle bolts (two broke free and I had to put a wrench on the bottom after I cut the plug out with a sawzall). Cut off the skeg as the port side "wing" was cracked nearly off, it will be easier to repair laying flat I thought. Then took a sledge and knocked her free from inside. I had dug a 16" hole to allow the rudder to drop.
Once down I cut open the starboard side. The foam was soaked, could squeeze water out of it like a sponge. The PO had drilled and injected epoxy. As far as I could tell that merely served to hold in water. I don't recommend injection at all on the rudder.
So I dug out all the foam, had to be inventive to get behind the rudder post. I took a paint roller and cut it off, bent it and flattened the end to dig with...worked great. At the bottom, there was a couple inches of hardened saltish black river mud smelling crystal. I chiseled that all out. Next I ground off all the gelcoat in prep to put bi-weave all around the exterior. Then I'll build up the worn areas from inside, re-glass the inside, fill with solid cell marine foam (I bough 2 cubic foot worth). Lastly to re-glass the side in place and barrier coat all. Should be done this weekend. Pics later....
As for the pintle, my advisers here say clean it up, weld on all new 316 studs and the pivot stud (whatever it's called). I'm doing that because a magnet sticks to the studs and pivot. Not good stainless as is the pintle bar. So I'll use 316 for for the replacements and reuse the bar. We will cut the heads off, recess the ends an 1/8th or so and weld the end solid, no heads to break free next time.
Call with questions
Marc 828-499-1230
(Pilgrim is for sale. New barrier coat, new charger and wiring gone over. Great shape. A deal for $50,000)
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