[Rhodes22-list] Rudder Cheek Plate

[Alexander Cole]

First, apologies if this doesn’t show up properly on the list.   I don’t think I’ve posted a response after abandoning Nabble,

Matt.   I did this repair a couple winters ago.   The factory cheek failed in heavy wind while dodging a foiling windsurfer who went down.   I think I had fatigued the OEM Starboard cheek with prop wash while docking in heavy winds, since the rudder and tiller aren’t tethered on my boat and I’m on the lee side of a double finger.   I have to angle the prop to avoid drifting into another boat while single handing in heavy wind.    I occasionally sail in great lakes chop, maybe 35-40 hours a year.   Wave action may play a roll as well.

On the advice of an Australian sailor from another forum who is also an engineer,  I used G-10.    This is the stuff printed circuit boards are made out of.   G-10 is too expensive for a production boat and the dust is an inhalation danger.   It’s much stronger and more rigid with less weight hanging off the stern, if you buy the right stuff.   Grainger does not sell the high strength product we want.   My mistake.  I had to glue two ¼ inch sheets for the bottom of the cheek, to obtain sufficient stiffness.    Boat Outfitters sells the high strength product.     I bought some to fix a spare (broken) companionway hatch, but it is now on backorder.    Welcome to 2021.  The online advice was to cut it with a jig saw (worked well) and paint with plastic bumper paint from autozone (holds up well).   I hope this helps.

I don’t live in a sailing area and the local fabricator was scared to cut aluminum cheek plates.   This is also a superior solution if your boat is likely to see salt water.

Alex Cole
Lark

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