Questions regarding rudder and outboard mount

[brackish]

When I worked at Palmer Johnson Yachts a line tied around the work boots and a soft leather helmet and tiny face plate that conforms to the wedge that needed to be welded on both the inside and outside on the forward deck was necessary. Crank your head sideways and lay your ear on the deck. That was much tighter then this simple transom job. Additionally hung by your feet and lowed into a 26" x 26" x 54" full weld dead space makes one wonder about the Italian designers.

LOL, When I worked for CE Natco, one of my jobs was to crawl inside of a 18" to 24" diameter pipe to back weld the inside seam on ASME pressure vessels for offshore platforms.  Just my foot was outside the pipe.  I would shake it so the outside helper would start to roll the pipe, shake it again to stop it so I could change rods and reposition to the bottom.  We were democratically assigned according to our phobias.  I was not claustrophobic but had great difficulty working high before the checkered deck plate or grating was down, so I got to crawl into tight spaces to backweld.

5' 11", 165lbs back then, the same today at 65 (well maybe a half inch shorter, think I've shrunk a bit  )

However, I continue to consider a teak hinged cover my fuel locker.  One of the concerns is whether I can get in there to put the nuts and washers on the backs of the hinges.  I have zero flexibility, a runners malady that comes from muscle memory.

Back on topic, one of the four springs on my mount was kicked off of it's stop and essentially not helping.  The loss of that one spring seemed to triple the effort needed to lift the motor.

[Welsh Dragon Forge]

One of the springs on mine is not set right also. I haven't mounted the motor yet but the 2hp that was on there before was a little bit of a struggle to lift and now I have a 6hp. I will just have to deal with what I have for a few months then get a new one if it turns out to be too big of a problem.

[Salty19]

I'll have to crawl back there with a rope around the feet to see if this is as easy you guys make it sound.  The transition between bunk and locker looks like murder on the spine.

The question would really be: How long would the Admiral leave me in there, chuckling and taking pictures, if I did get stuck!  I better take her out to dinner the evening prior!

[Welsh Dragon Forge]

After much use of an impact wrench and oil I managed to get all the badly corroded bolts off of the rudder. I was really close to breaking a few so I let some oil do its work over the last few days. Now comes the part where I strtip the layers of nasty paint off from the previous owners.

So here is the question....

What are your suggestions for repainting the parts myself. I have gear to airbrush the paint on.

[Salty19]

What part are you referring to? The rudder?

If so...I suggest not painting it.  Instead, make it into a foil THEN paint it.  A pretty rudder won't buy you an ounce of happiness, especially when it gets dinged up from a grounding. And that will happen at some point.  But the foil will pay dividends each time you sail.

If referring to the mount (gudgeon I believe it's called), suggestions in the past indicate poor results from painting due to outgassing of the aluminum.  Aluminum doesn't take paint too well.  Many suggest a professional powercoating job. 

Man, those nuts must have been seized up really good if an impact wrench couldn't remove them.  Galvanic corrosion, likely.

[Welsh Dragon Forge]

Yes, mainly the rudder mount. It has several layers of flaking paint and is a really ugly mess. Im thinking about cleaning it, primer and enamel spray paint.

The bolts were chalky and pitted bad. I figured it would be best to take care of the issue now and not leave it for another day and really be sorry later. The washers were almost paper thin too.

[Salty19]

OK...I recall reading quite a few posts over the years about it, but paid little attention to the "right way'.  Might want to do a search on the word "mount" and "powder" and "powdercoat" here on the forum.  You'll find the posts.

Or maybe some lucky devil who has done this will pipe in here to help more.

Sorry I'm no help here...

[Tim Gardner]

Hey Carl,

I am contemplating a rebuild of the OB motor mount on my 19/II.  Could you recount your procedure for dis-assembly after you clamped it down to your work bench?.  How did you handle the initial spring tension while lining up the bushings, washers, bracket pieces & bolts?

Thanks in advance

TG

[MacGyver]

Read Tim's comment, then read above stuff and want to share my luck painting aluminum and such and doing the rudder mount on my boat.

Powder coat is fine but highly suggest a powder coat primer after a really good prep.

What I did for ours is get is all cleaned up really well. Then on a 5 gallon bucket out in the sun I layed it out to warm up.

It was pretty hot. I shot it with a etching primer. After some time I sprayed the black spray paint on it.
Not cheap paints either.....dont remember the brand though.....

But because of the heat and sun on it she flowed NICE.
Held up fantastically this yeat that I plan to do the part that bolts to the boat

For cleaning I used red scotch brite and soapy water. Scrubbing hard.
My casting was pretty well void of old paint when done.

Mac