Sailing NVvideo
Rebuilding Our Carbon Fiber Rudder After a Reef Crash! DIY repair | S2 Ep38
December 14, 2024 · 35 min · 9K views
What this video covers
Timo repairs a damaged carbon fiber rudder on the 45-ft racing yacht NV after losing a 40-centimeter sacrificial section during a reef strike.0:11 To restore the rudder, he grinds the damaged area back to the original carbon structure in a staggered, ladder-like pattern to ensure a strong, overlapping bond.2:25 He inserts two pre-laminated carbon fiber panels into the center of the rudder to serve as a structural frame, then builds up the surrounding volume using strips of closed-cell hydrophobic foam.6:46 Each layer of foam is shaped, sanded, and laminated with carbon fiber to anchor the extension to the original rudder.12:42 Timo uses a vacuum bagging technique with butyl tape seals to compress the epoxy-wetted carbon layers, alternating between unidirectional and bi-axial cloth for structural integrity.26:17 He finishes the repair by applying primer, filler, and anti-fouling paint to achieve the final hydrodynamic shape.28:12 Staggering the carbon layers and maintaining a vacuum seal are essential for preventing future delamination.20:09
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