High Moisure Readings rudder keel

[OldSalt1]

Recent survey showed high moisture readings (off the meter red scale ) on rudder and keel.
The keel is lead bolted.
I walked around other with meter on boats close by and the majority had off the scale moisture on rudder.
So is it as suggested drilling hole in bottom of rudder to allow water drainage ?
What about the lead keel what is needed to reduce moisture ?
Rest of boat hull and deck dry (green lower meter )

[slug]

It’s possible for the rudder to be full of water

Drill a hole when in doubt

Rudders , because they are thin skin two side with foam core can be tricky to measure

Your surveyor should be able to advise

I don’t know what to say about glass encapsulated keels .... I’ve never had one surveyed

A lead keel is not affected by moisture

Perhaps it’s epoxy coating has failed

Always important to hire a good surveyor

Some of them are little more than monkeys with machines

[Jim Cate]

If the keel is a bolt-on lead casting, the meter is giving a false reading. Lead does not absorb water.

Jim

[OldSalt1]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

If the keel is a bolt-on lead casting, the meter is giving a false reading. Lead does not absorb water.

Jim

Ok thank you

[OldSalt1]

Originally Posted by slug

It’s possible for the rudder to be full of water

Drill a hole when in doubt

Rudders , because they are thin skin two side with foam core can be tricky to measure

Your surveyor should be able to advise

I don’t know what to say about glass encapsulated keels .... I’ve never had one surveyed

A lead keel is not affected by moisture

Perhaps it’s epoxy coating has failed

Always important to hire a good surveyor

Some of them are little more than monkeys with machines

Thank you Slug. Yes the fact that so many of the ruddders in the boat yard are reading off the scale red would suggest that water in the rudders is fairly common.
And as you say lead would not absorb so the epoxy coating contains water. I’m not sure if that in itself is of any significance ? The bolts are all good.
So when you drill do you drill just near the bottom and normally one drill point ?

[Cheechako]

Waterlogged rudders are very common. My guess is most people don't know their's is waterlogged.
Examples:
9 year old fiberglass boat. Rudder waterlogged. Replaced with new rudder.
5 year old fiberglass boat: Rudder waterlogged. Took apart and rebuilt without foam.
7 year old Catamaran. One rudder waterlogged, discovered at survey.

I don't trust moisture meters at all unless you grind down to bare substrate.
Lead keel shouldn't have much water even on the surface, but the paint may be holding it.

[slug]

Originally Posted by OldSalt1

Thank you Slug. Yes the fact that so many of the ruddders in the boat yard are reading off the scale red would suggest that water in the rudders is fairly common.
And as you say lead would not absorb so the epoxy coating contains water. I’m not sure if that in itself is of any significance ? The bolts are all good.
So when you drill do you drill just near the bottom and normally one drill point ?

Normally a single small hole in the rudder will reveal water

If the rudder is off the boat you can non destructive test for water by wrapping the rudder blade in black plastic then put it in the bright sunshine

The rudder heats up , builds up pressure inside , and water will be forced out of the stainless steel rudder stock to fiberglass joint at the top

You can see the bubble in the picture

[OldSalt1]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Waterlogged rudders are very common. My guess is most people don't know their's is waterlogged.
Examples:
9 year old fiberglass boat. Rudder waterlogged. Replaced with new rudder.
5 year old fiberglass boat: Rudder waterlogged. Took apart and rebuilt without foam.
7 year old Catamaran. One rudder waterlogged, discovered at survey.

I don't trust moisture meters at all unless you grind down to bare substrate.
Lead keel shouldn't have much water even on the surface, but the paint may be holding it.

Given as you say that there are many many waterlogged rudders out there. In a lot of cases owners not aware. Then is there ever a case for just ignoring the readings if the general appearance of the ruddder is good ? In other words at what point should you be considering a rebuilt rudder ?

[robert sailor]

Wet rudders are very very common. They tend to leak at the top where the seal between the rudder shaft and the rudder join. As others have said most rudders are foam cores with thin glass covering. In many coastal sailing boats people drill a hole at the bottom when the boat is stored over winter and before launch seal it with a good bedding adhesive. This allows moisture to seep out over time.. the one thing to be very aware of is any boat stored in areas that have below freezing temps as most of these rudders are made up of 2 shells glassed together and if full of water they can easily split or crack the joint which has in the past lead to rudder failure where it just peels apart. If crossing oceans I'd rather lose my mast than my rudder so its something I'm always very aware of.

[OldSalt1]

Originally Posted by robert sailor

Wet rudders are very very common. They tend to leak at the top where the seal between the rudder shaft and the rudder join. As others have said most rudders are foam cores with thin glass covering. In many coastal sailing boats people drill a hole at the bottom when the boat is stored over winter and before launch seal it with a good bedding adhesive. This allows moisture to seep out over time.. the one thing to be very aware of is any boat stored in areas that have below freezing temps as most of these rudders are made up of 2 shells glassed together and if full of water they can easily split or crack the joint which has in the past lead to rudder failure where it just peels apart. If crossing oceans I'd rather lose my mast than my rudder so its something I'm always very aware of.

Yep I can see your point clearly.
The boat is in Sweden and 24 years old so at some point which have been exposed to freezing temps.
But on the other hand I plan for the next 2 years to do coastal cruising in the Baltic.
So I think I’ll get a drill hole in bottom of rudder whilst out the water and go from there. Hopefully, that at this point in time will be sufficient

[OldSalt1]

Thanks everyone your input is much appreciated
John

[robert sailor]

Originally Posted by OldSalt1

Yep I can see your point clearly.
The boat is in Sweden and 24 years old so at some point which have been exposed to freezing temps.
But on the other hand I plan for the next 2 years to do coastal cruising in the Baltic.
So I think I’ll get a drill hole in bottom of rudder whilst out the water and go from there. Hopefully, that at this point in time will be sufficient

I had an issue where I lost a substantial part of my rudder from a boat bought back east with a cracked rudder from freezing that I wasn't careful enough with.
I had it repaired but before I took it offshore I pulled it and had it wrapped with 2 layers of kevlar and slept well knowing it was no longer in 2 pieces.
I wasn't the only one that had that happen, typically you get a bit over powered with the chute up and really working the rudder when you suddenly get power steering but very ineffective steering, lol and you find most of the rudder has peeled...not so much an issue where the boat is kept in areas above freezing. Enjoy your new boat, sounds like a sweet choice.

[JonathanX]

Hi, 15 years ago my rudder crack all over the place because there where water inside and freezing in winter, drill a hole at the bottom, repair it and still nice looking since then. Of course the hole is there since.

[Cheechako]

One wonders (out loud!), if water ingress is common, and if SS is susceptible to failure from stagnant water /low oxygen environment....(which it is) ... wait for it... why not purposely drill a few holes in a rudder and let the water flow through? !