Leading the Escapade · video

What this video covers

The crew of the 40-foot sailboat *Escapade* discovered hairline cracks at the top of their foam-core rudder while performing routine maintenance in a boatyard.0:05 To assess the damage, they ground away the fiberglass skin until they reached sound laminate, confirming the cracks were superficial and had not penetrated the internal structure.1:09 They drilled inspection holes to check for moisture or delamination, finding the interior dry.6:20 The repair involved painting a base coat of two-part epoxy onto the exposed foam, followed by filling the voids with West System epoxy thickened with Cab-O-Sil to restore the rudder's profile.9:08 After curing, they applied fiberglass patches over the repaired areas to provide structural rigidity before sanding the surface smooth and applying a barrier coat.20:34 The project highlights the necessity of grinding back cracks to clean material to ensure a proper bond and the importance of sealing voids to prevent water ingress.

More from Leading the Escapade

Boat Repairs, Tropical Islands & One Last Bocas Adventure! Ep-239Sep 2026Sailing Panama…We Found a Secret Jungle River 🇵🇦 Ep-237Sep 2026Living the Dream in Bocas del Toro 🌴 Sailing, Tropical Paradise & StarfishSep 2026WE’RE BACK AT SEA! 🌴 San Blas, Boat Repairs & Insurance Update! Ep-235Sep 2026

From Leading the Escapade — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analyzed video.

The Sailing Directory Newsletter

One email with the fleet's best finds — the moments, boats, and stories worth your watch time. Enter your own address to get your own copy.