Leaks: rudder, ski platform, driveshaft

My 1969 Barracuda leaks. A lot.

Today I filled it up to watch where the water ran out. Eureka! One of the four bolts holding the rudder plate on was about to fall out. The nut and washer were completely off and it was about 2 inches out. This was after 2.5 hours running in the water.

That accounts for Leak #1.

Leak #2: The ski platform on the driver's side had a steady stream at the bottom. This ski platform has 3 brackets that attach with 3 lag screws each. The brackets are bedded with black adhesive. One of the lag screws is not present on the driver's side and that's where the big leak is.

The fix is to take it all loose and re-bed with 3M adhesive? Surely I'm going to find the wood is all rotten and requires lengthy drying and epoxy? This is an off-season fix, huh? The fiberglass around the brackets has spider cracks radiating out from it. Sign of weak wood?

Leak #3: Water runs in at the driveshaft. Not a slow drip. Just tighten the nut? How do I know when it's time for a new packing?

There were NO leaks around the exhaust outlets, which I cleaned and re-set with high-temp (700-degree) RTV. How long do you think that will last? Didn't seem like the adhesive qualities of that were as important as the sealing ability.

The old girl ran like Floyd Landis on 'roids.

Much stronger than before. I did a little magic inside and it looks like it really paid off. Not way overboard, but really hopped it up.

I especially like the way it pulls from a dead stop. Gets a skier up right away. More top end, too. Gotta get the speedo fixed so I know how much.

Thomas

Hi Thomas

Have you got a picture of the area that is cracking around the rudder.

If you are confident with fibreglass it would not take that long to fix.

Regards
Rob

Hi Thomas

I don't know if it is the same on you boat but the section that the rudder post goes through was fairly separate to anything else on the boat.

Meaning I could dig out the rotten section completely and not have to keep chasing my tail for a clean section.

The rudder post on my Nautique is mounted in a sandwich about 3 to 4 inches of fibreglass and wood.

I built it up to this thickness using 1/2 inch plywood then fibreglass layers.

Once you get the initial section flat it does not take long to build it up to this thickness.

If I where to do it again , I would make a jig up beforehand so that when you drill the 4 bolt holes they go straight & and the rudder post hole.

Heres a picture just after I did mine.


Regards
Rob

Hi Thomas

My rudder post protrudes through the bottom of the hull about 3/8 of a inch.

If yours is the same, its enough to slot in a stiffing plate of some description from the top. This way you can disperse the load thats being put on it.

Just thinking out loud.

Don't want to see you park it in the shed so soon.

Regards
Rob

Go Thomas! I hope you can keep going through the end of the year. It's a bummer when she just sits in the garage. Good luck.