Sailing Triteiavideo
Starting the Fiberglass Layup on My New Rudder for Triteia
15 May 2026 · 28 min · 13K views · Thailand
Man applies fiberglass to rudder mold on workbench
What this video covers
Building a new rudder from scratch on an Alberg 30 mid-circumnavigation, James works in Thailand to replace a 61-year-old all-wood rudder damaged in August 2021 when Triteia struck a partially submerged sea container while sailing between Los Angeles and Hawaii, breaking the rudder free from the tiller post.▶ 0:59 He sailed the remaining 1,000 miles to Hawaii using a drogue for steering, had bronze tangs welded onto the tiller shaft as a temporary fix, and decided during a haul-out in Langkawi that the original rudder could not be trusted for the rest of the circumnavigation.▶ 1:17 The build uses laminated marine ply as the structural core — fiberglass adds shape, not strength — with West System epoxy and slow hardener chosen specifically for Thailand's heat.▶ 2:46 Two initial epoxy coats seal the core before any cloth goes down.▶ 6:03 The layup strategy builds thickness on the leading edge using layers of glass mat and woven roving, tapering toward the trailing edge to create a hydrodynamic profile.▶ 10:47 James applies two layers per session to avoid rushing the cure and trims excess cloth with a razor blade before it fully sets.▶ 16:28 Working in the tropics limits batch size; three pumps of mixed epoxy covers one side per pass before heat accelerates the cure.▶ 2:58
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