Commander #256 (Ceili)

[Chance]

Jerry,
Excellent questions.
1) I used 18 mm, way overkill, as I had to remove most of it in my tapering jig. I wanted and should have used 12mm like you indicate but they were out of stock when I was down that way to make the purchase.

2) I'm aiming for a final rudder thickness (at the aft end of the shaft) of between 1-1/4" and 1-3/8" after fiberglassing.

3) On Ceili the aft keel area that receives the rudder post fluctuates between 1-1/2 inches to 1-5/8 with the majority of spots I checked measuring 1-9/16 across the cove area and to the outside of the flats that run along each side of the cove. When I take two straight edges and press them up against the hull, the trailing edges of the straight edges continue on a merging course, and eventually make contact. I looked at the area where the rudder sits and feel that the measurements above closely match this measurement point. Of note: I have measured an unmolested original rudder and it was 1-1/4" at the shaft. My rudder was heavily molested by POs and it's hard to say what the original measurement was. Currently the old rudder I recently removed measures just under the original rudder I referenced.

4) Yes, you are correct. I did radias the leading edge of the core where it mates up with the shaft. I did this to facilitate an area to receive thickened epoxy and the starting point where the glass cloth will be laid on.

5) No, I do not plan to wrap the rudder post (shaft) with glass. The area is sealed with a heavy cove bead of thickened epoxy, and will also be covered with cloth. The cloth will terminate at the aft end of the shaft, but will not ride up on it.

6) Here's some photos to illustrate the above.