Prepping a 7.9 for offshore

[bigkahuna]

Very interesting read Alan, thanks for sharing your thoughts. Especially helpful because you've already done at least one crossing.

When we finally made port, after breaking the rudder on our Express 37, I spoke with Carl Schumacher and he had Waterrat build us a new rudder. Twelve grand and 8 months later, the new rudder arrived in Hilo, Hawaii and I was amazed by the quality of workmanship and how light that thing was. It looked like a stiletto blade. 100% carbon and foam. Thankfully, the insurance company picked up the lion's share of that bill.

Coming from the SC 27, I'm curious why you chose the S2 7.9? I'm looking at the 7.9 but other lifting keel boats like the Elliott 770 and Trip 26. Why did you pick the 7.9?

[Stef]

Hi guys. Reading this thread. I have done a lot of work to my rudder since I purchased the boat in 2003. I mainly sail on a 13 mile lake in north eastern Pennsylvania. After owning the boat for one year, someone posted a photo of a rudder breaking. Like a horizontal line in the middle of the head, with the pivot hole being the weak spot. I was shocked. So my rudder needed some work regardless, and I milled out two slots, half way fore and aft of the pivot hole, about 1/2" wide. From the top of the head, then down 24" into the blade. Each slot went almost completely through, to the other side of the rudder, but I didn't break through. I pushed some glass to beef up opposite side, then pushed in some Interlux two part below waterline epoxy. Filled each cavity about 1/3. I then added 3/8" thick x 2" wide x 23" long 304 stainless steel bars in each slot. Added glass to beef up outer wall and match opposite side, then sealed it up and faired. I feel more comfortable when a 20+ gust shows up and it's only blowing 7-8 kts, which happens all the time here. There is rarely any "steady" wind here. This is certainly not bullet proof, but a heck of a lot less expensive, and peace of mind for me.

[Pete]

Hello Bigkahunna
I'm not considering such a passage but if I were I would not consider either the Elliot or the Tripp. Aside from stories of less than robust construction of those two choices I believe the 7.9 is to only one with the majority of it's ballast within the hull. With the other two should you lose the keel/centerboard you'll lose most if not all your ballast. The 7.9 with 2/3's of it's ballast in the hull you'd have a good chance of surviving a catastrophic failure.

[bigkahuna]

Hello Bigkahunna
I'm not considering such a passage but if I were I would not consider either the Elliot or the Tripp. Aside from stories of less than robust construction of those two choices I believe the 7.9 is to only one with the majority of it's ballast within the hull. With the other two should you lose the keel/centerboard you'll lose most if not all your ballast. The 7.9 with 2/3's of it's ballast in the hull you'd have a good chance of surviving a catastrophic failure.

That's an interesting point. I suppose if you lost the keel entirely on a 7.9 you'd still be able to sail downwind, which on a Transpac is virtually downwind 99% of the time anyways.