Replacing Rudder Jeanneau Attalia 32

[freddozsa]

I am replacing Rudder on a 1985 Jenneau Attalia

[freddozsa]

Oct 11, 2013 0:42:48 GMT freddozsa said:

Oct 11, 2013 0:42:23 GMT freddozsa said:

I am replacing Rudder on a 1985 Jenneau Attalia

any

[MalcolmP]

Hi Fred

Not sure if you could not complete your post, but could you say what assistance (if any) you are looking for?

Malcolm

[phonse1]

I did this in June on a 1983 Attalia Centerboarder. I have some pictures and information. The work was done by Josh Bernard owner of Shipwright Services in Beaconsfield Quebec, Canada. 
Ralph Booth Coup de Vent

[MalcolmP]

Oct 11, 2013 17:10:33 GMT phonse1 said:

I did this in June on a 1983 Attalia Centerboarder. I have some pictures and information. The work was done by Josh Bernard owner of Shipwright Services in Beaconsfield Quebec, Canada. 
Ralph Booth Coup de Vent

Hi Ralph

If you are able to share your info and photos that would be really helpful for all Attalia owners in the future.

You could post them here or send them to me at [e-mail] and I will put them on the main Hints and Tips section

Malcolm

[phonse1]

Let's begin by saying that rudder replacement may be an issue for all older Jeanneaus.

The Attalias and Fantasias of the 80s have rudders cored with mahogany and coated with glass. Mahogany is strong and rot resistant, but rudders, almost universally, will leak through the shaft/rudder joint as moisture meters will show. When I purchased my boat, the insurance surveyor insisted on a rebuilt rudder. Since she has a shoal draft, getting the rudder off required digging a 1.5m (5ft) deep hole. It also requires taking down the ceiling cover box and the back wall in the aft cabin. This is a good thing since it had been neglected probably since new. PHOTOS WILL FOLLOW

Once the rudder was off and  the glass peeled, the wood was clearly saturated, but intact. Josh Bernard, whose youth belies his superior knowledge and experience, gave it a few more years of life, had it been left as is. This is interesting, because in central Canada, we have a six month sailing season with boats hauled, rudders exposed to air and  freeze-thaw cycles all winter. In spite of these punishing conditions, the 30 year old rudder had remained intact, glass still mostly bonded to the wood and the wood to the shaft. 

So why replace the rudder? Apart from the surveyors orders, the rudder was saturated with at least 60 lbs (25kilos) of water. Closed  cell foam is much lighter and will not absorb water. 

Once the mahogany was stripped off the shaft and welded plates, layers of 1" foam were laid up and epoxied together. A couple dozen bolts with big washers were used to clamp the layers together. The foam was faired using the old wood as a model. Finally the foam was glassed in with epoxy and 6 coats of epoxy paint were applied. After minor fine tuning on the boat we applied anti-fouling behind the rudder on the skeg. The back of the skeg is inaccessible with the rudder on, so it got it's first care in 30 years, epoxy paint and anti-fouling. The nylon? skeg bearing seemed in good shape as did the rudder shaft components. I did manage to drop the carefully balanced rudder quadrant pieces and the quadrant shaft key (down the shaft tube). Don't do this. We replaced the bolts holding on the skeg shoe. 

We painted the back lazarette area with thick shiny industrial epoxy paint and varnished the backs of the panels. As on my previous Fantasia (purchased new in 1983), some of the hidden woodwork,, even exposed woodwork received little or no protection. It seems Jeanneau in spite of its brilliant, well executed design had some inconsistencies in finishing standards. 

We haul out this week. When we are up in the slings, we will have a good look at the keel and centreboard. Has anyone ever replaced the valve inside the centreboard box? Removed or replaced the centreboard?

The other winter project  is the transmission on the 2GM. There seem to be a dirty Yanmar secret about worn cones in the 1GM and 2GM transmissions. This seems to be more common on Jeanneau installations and I wonder if it has to do with the Morse linkages. Any comments or advice? 

Regards
Ralph Booth

[Waymar83]

Just seeing relevant Attalia emails now... If you guys are still around, would love to see some pics. Also, Given that you removed the rudder can you explain how?  

I'm currently in Barbados an may want to drop ti just for an inspection.