PDQ OWNERS FORUM

I've been looking for a DIY boat yard to haul out for my rudder repair as well as new bottom paint. The places I've found in Brevard are:
1) Cape Marina
2)Port Canaveral Marine (formerly Scorpian's)
3)Westland Marina Titusville

They all allow DIY and are all within about $100.00 of each other in price. The guy at Westland Marine told me he has done several PDQ rudders there and one of them was just a couple of months ago; they want me to have the rudder ready and pull it out as the boat is hauled out. Cape Marine told me they would dig a hole in the ground before pulling the boat so I could drop the rudder at my pace. Scorpian's told me they would relift the boat as many times as I want for 2/ft each time.

Can I get any recommendations of these yards? Any horror stories?

Thanks


Tom

Is it bent straight aft, or is there some lateral angle?

Straight aft and only by a couple of degrees. The top back corner is tilted up by about an inch to an inch and a half.

We stored SUNSHINE in Westland Marine (Titusville) for the summer of 2010 and highly recommend the facility and its workers. SUNSHINE was one of five PDQs on the hard. If you decide to keep your boat there, we have a coupon we can send you that gives new tenants two free weeks if you keep your boat there for three months (wet or dry) there.
Good luck with your repairs!

Sunshine wrote:We stored SUNSHINE in Westland Marine (Titusville) for the summer of 2010 and highly recommend the facility and its workers. SUNSHINE was one of five PDQs on the hard. If you decide to keep your boat there, we have a coupon we can send you that gives new tenants two free weeks if you keep your boat there for three months (wet or dry) there.
Good luck with your repairs!

Thanks for the input. I'll drive out there and check them out on Friday.

I'll only be hauling for the repair and will still retain my slip in Melbourne; I like the neighborhood I'm in.

I've chosen Cape Marina as the place to haul out. Purely due to convenience, it's half the distance from Melbourne than Titusville is. I actually liked Westland best for the friendly atmosphere but practicalities won out. I'm scheduled to haul out this coming Sunday so I'll update when it's all done.

Tom

Tom: James does his magic with a come-along while the rudder is still on the boat. If you chose to do it that way, fix the glass around the rudder first. then clamp 2x4's on the trailing edge, (maybe a few dabs of low temp hot glue to help keep them from shifting) and GENTLY pull the rudder forward. The magic is in the word "gentle" and in knowing when youve pulled it far enough. If you do this repeatedly, you might work harden the shaft, so it's best a oneshot deal. If it works (I've seen it work several times) it would save you a chunk of change.

Tom,

Sandy/James idea of using a come-along sounds like a great idea.
I have straighted several rudders by removing them, clamping the blade against a block wall, placing an iron pipe over the shaft, and then using a hydraulic jack. I found that I had to go slightly beyond the desired position as there was some "springback". One marina repaired a bent rudder by cutting and welding but Simon did not like the idea as it changed the stainless properties at the weld (for the worse).
I would definitely give some thought to Sandy's/James' technique.

Chet
Allezcat 36010

I'm liking the idea of not having to remove the rudder.

Was the other end of the come along attached to the boat or to a Jeep parked in front of the boat?
I'm assuming the boat has to be out of the water to do this?

Tomorrow I'm going to try to loosen the hardware and see if I can get the rudder to drop down a couple of inches. If I can get this to happen would that be a suitable fix? Or should I straighten the rudder anyways?

Yes,

Dropping the rudder a couple inches is a "tried & true" fix but not sure I would consider it a permanent fix. It leaves a gap between the rudder and the hull and the rudder is now more susceptible to grounding as its draft is greater by 2-3 inches. Be sure to attach a line to the top of the rudder post and tie it off before you start to prevent the rudder from disappearing into the abyss!

Chet
Allez Cat 36010

I now have two rudders again. This is how we bent the rudder back in place.
Now just have to fix the hull and repaint.


Thanks to all for the advice.

Tom

I rebuilt my PDQ rudders at Westland Marina last Fall. Rick who drives the travel lift can get the boat high enough to drop the rudders out and back in again. Riverside Marina at Fort Pierce is Almost half the price

Finally got her done, well, mostly.

The rudder has been straightened, the hull repaired (27 layers of glass), bottom job using one coat of black and two coats of red ablative paint, and the port side fairing has been improved drastically. We also moved our lettering to the bows as it kept getting damaged by fenders at the stern. Heck removing the yellow at the waterline alone is a huge improvement. She almost looks like a new boat; at least below the rubrail.

The reason I say mostly complete is the port side fairing work is done but I had to stop at two coats of primer. I will finish painting in the water - my time just ran out.

And wouldn't you know it, she's finally in the water and sitting pretty with a beautiful east wind blowing on the ICW and the boss sent me to San Juan. (:

Here's a picture shortly before she went back in the drink.
Thanks again to everyone who helped and lent advice.

Tom