Wearing my corrosion engineer hat. Doesn't look too bad from limited photograph inspection. Would require the mast to be removed (essential for overhaul and rigging replacement anyway). Then I suspect that the existing mast step Could simply be er galvanised or a new one fabricated if hidden corrosion exists. Not a big deal either way.

knight said..
Thanks for the quick reply Frant. The rigging is currently 5 years old so, pending inspection, I was hoping I'd get a couple more years out of the rigging before having to go to the expense of replacing it.

Would taking a stiff wire brush to it and the repainting it limit the extent of corrosion until I go to replace the rigging anyway or is this something I would need to tackle sooner rather than later?

I suspect that if you put a bit of effort into cleaning/chipping the rust and then coat with inhibitive primer and epoxy you will get many years life from that component. Doesn't visually appear to be structural metal loss and if you can stop further deterioration then should be fine.
However, there does appear to be a great deal of fear of pulling the rig out of a boat. It's not such a big deal and worth doing, certainly annually or at least every two years for a thorough rig inspection and service.

Hi Knight , it is not necessary to pull your rig out for servicing every one or two years ,as suggested in another post above.

replacement every ten years is the standard maintenance plan .

Well thankyou all for your advice I went ahead with it and got a survey and while I'm still waiting for the actual survey report to be emailed to me, I have the verbal. Its mostly all good, so looks like I will have a Top Hat shortly.

There was one issue identified that I wasn't expecting however. It appears the rudder is probably waterlogged - how badly not sure yet, probably won't know until I get the actual report.

The surveyor is concerned that the shoe and rudder will part company...which would be a problem if I happened to be underway at the time....

I'm not overly concerned - I wasn't expecting a 30+ year old boat to be without a few issues, and apart from that the repairs required seem to be cosmetic and the surveyor says that I am unlikely to lose the rudder delivering the yacht to Newcastle, which was my main concern.

My concern at this point is, what is that sort of repair likely to set me back? Apparently its recommended to remove the rudder in the water - thats fine I'm a scuba diver so have no issues with that as an idea, but what am I likely to have to do to repair the rudder itself and seal it?

I know its very much a how long is a piece of string question, but I was hoping you might be able to give me a ballpark idea.

Thanks all

Correction to previous post:

Rudder repairs component $800.

The total was for all works done for the rudder and keel repairs.

Apologies if I caused any confusion.

www.boatworkstoday.com/videos/rebuilding-a-foam-cored-rudder-part-1/

just to give you an idea

Well I've replied to Knights concerns on the Top Hat site but I must comment that MOST Top Hats do not have leaking rudders!

One thing I missed was the engine mounts, is that the timber beds or the engine fixing mounts? What sort of engine? Might not be as costly as you think!

Sent from the Piles in Bowen Marina