Epiphany Sailingvideo
Building emergency rudder temporary for our sailboat C&C 39
January 4, 2024 · 9 min · 443 views · Bimini, Bahamas
What this video covers
After an unforecasted cyclone beached the C&C Yachts 39 at Bimini, Bahamas, the fiberglass rudder shell split and was lost during towing off the beach.0:13 With a replacement rudder already sourced — an original C&C 39 rudder, hull number 35, that had sat behind a seller's shed for 20 years — Gordon needed a temporary rudder to reach Nassau, roughly 100 miles away, for a proper haulout.1:21
The temporary rudder is built from six layers of ¾-inch plywood laminated to approximately five inches total thickness, shaped to fit over the existing 3-inch rudder shaft and reinforcement plate.4:13 A coffee creamer can, measuring 2⅞ inches in diameter to match the replacement rudder's shaft, served as a spacing template during cutting.3:05 The assembly splits into two halves so it can be slid onto the shaft underwater and tightened in place.6:53 Fasteners are ½-inch by 6-inch galvanized bolts with flat washers — corners ground down to fit the holes — plus ¼-inch perimeter bolts to close the gap and create a tighter hydrodynamic profile.4:28 Bolt holes were drilled at 5/8-inch to allow loose assembly before final underwater tightening.5:58 Hardware cost $140 on Bimini.4:48
Splitting the rudder into two bolt-together halves is the key technique enabling underwater installation without assistance.6:53
Boats in this video
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