lower gudgeon replacement

[nance]

I just hit a cement mooring block with my rudder, and bent the lower pintle and gudgeon. I was able to get the rudder off the boat, and plan on a repair at low tide, when my boat is beached for about 3 hours. Here's my question- I have a 1975 daysailer II- Does anyone know what's inside the transom behind the gudgeon near the waterline? I'm thinking of filling the holes with epoxy and then drilling in starter holes for new screws. If anyone else has done this repair, I'd like to know what you did and how it went. Also, does anyone know the length/size of the screws? (I haven't removed mine yet, and don't want to leave open holes until I'm ready to fill them.). thanks for any input- Nancy

[Reef]

While I don't know what material is used for backing the screws in the transom, I can report that I've removed and replaced my screws (during recent hull painting) within the existing holes. The strength of the fitting appears to have not been compromised at all. If I were you, I'd order replacement parts from www.drmarine.com and use the existing holes. You shouldn't need to use any epoxy, though you could use a dab of marine caulking/sealant in each hole as a "feel good" measure...

[nance]

Thanks for the info. The replacement parts are already ordered (from DR- Rudy Rules!). My concern is that the screws nearest the center of the gudgeon pulled out a bit, so I'm not sure of the state of the material in which they were embedded. If I can solidly reattach the new gudgeon without any drilling or epoxy, that would be great. -N

[Roger]

The DS transom is plywood sandwiched between fiberglass. Your best bet if you think you may have compromised the holes is to drill through with a larger bit, fiberglass the hole and drill through the fiberglass, then use ss bolts to secure the new fitting. This way, you know the hole and exposure to any wood is sealed. Mine are through bolted top and bottom with acorn nuts on the inside. I think I used at least 2" bolts.