I am not sure if I made the right decision or not.
I went out and washed and waxed the boat getting it ready to go in for the season. I grabbed the rudders from the shed cleaned them up and they appear to be a little worse then I remember them to be at the end of last season. When I took them off I noticed what appeared to be "stress cracks" in some areas but not a major concern. When I looked more closely at them it appears that it is a continuous crack on both sides. (I know the rudders are a little beat up.) It slill may be a stress crack that is only on the surface gel coat.
The Idasailor rudders were on my wish list but I figured I would wait another year. I bit the bullet and just ordered a set. I was thinking of using these as a backup set.
Do they have any value? Are they worth repairing? Is the cracking "normal" wear.
Jim, I am not worried about getting home....just the down time in the middle of the season if they were to snap
I will post pics in two weeks after I recieve them
Here is a pic I have of stock rudders to compare to John on Highlander:
Last edited by Matt19020 on Mon Apr 19, 2010 7:25 pm, edited 2 times in total.
This picture is of an oversized (custom-made) IDA rudder. Joel will no longer make these (to the best of my knowledge.) These rudders are too big for the boat as demonstrated by multiple failures (snapping off just below the head.) The standard IDA rudder is very close to the same size as stock. I currently use stock rudders. The cracks shown in your pictures are most likely gelcoat only (non-structural.) Of course, impossbile to tell for sure without x-ray vision. One of my rudders has a simiilar crack. I"m not concnerned. I won't speculate about how well the standard IDAs will hold up, but I will say that they are solid plastic. The stock fiberglass rudders which are hollow inside should still be stronger than plastic. That said, I don't recall hearing of any breakage of either OEM or IDA without grounding (except for my large IDAs.) Not knocing the IDAs. I was warned by Joel that this size was on the extreme side and hasn't been tested, so I was taking a chance. I gambled and lost. My suggestion would be to keep the OEM rudders aboard as a backup, just in case.
Thanks Leon for correction on the picture I have deleted it from the post as not to mislead anyone.....I will still post pics of new rudders when I recieve them
Just wondering if filling the rudders up to solidify them would make them stronger ....Possibly epoxy, lead...concrete
Last edited by Matt19020 on Mon Apr 19, 2010 7:25 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Anyone waiting for pics or rudders it will be awhile .....I just got word from IDASAILOR they have a 5 week wait before they can ship them ..looks like I will just have to replace them in the water....no bigee.... If anyone wants a set.... you may want to order ASAP.....looks like the recession is over!
I finnally recieved my new rudders this week I will post side by side pics later tonight if all goes well..
CAN ANYONE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING?
My stock rudders have a bracket for a stop on them (see pic) do I need to take this off and transfer to the new rudders or are the rudders stronger and I do not need it?
If your is blue hull, then consider painting your IDA rudders blue too. Since white is faster, your boat may try to spin around and pass the blue part!
I already have the faster white hull.....
After further inspection there seems to be 2 pre drilled dimples where the brackets go so I am assuming I transfer brackets over to new rudders
is blue hull, then consider painting your IDA rudders blue too. Since white is faster, your boat may try to spin around and pass the blue part! 
IDA rudders don't have that, but then the two are different critters.