It's much worse than it looks in these pictures (good from far far from good!). The wood has eroded away along all the margins and yes it is loose on the shaft. The wood has a mossy texture and you can peel strips off with no effort at all. I have been reading about rudders and am trying to decide what to do?
1) replace with new (would have to be a dyi job)
2) encapsulate in glass as per Bill
If the wood that would make up the "core" of the glassed rudder is punky would this mean that this option is unwise to follow?
I don't worry about doing stuff I know but have not really built a rudder before.
Andrew