I've only sailed a handful of times in the past 25 years, , but previously owned a H14/16/18 , 18sq m , and a G cat. I loved the G cat and bought another a few weeks ago. Almost everything on the 5 meter needs replacing. anyone have an idea about the cracks on the rudder gudgeons? can they be repaired with J B Weld?

Jb weld doesnt really work on stainless

JB weld is not gonna hold up the stress of anything on a catamaran - it is a short term patch at best in marine applications.

luckily the gudgeons has got to be one of the cheapest parts on your boat.

i suggest you submit photo to site, fellow sailors have fixed this before and will make good solutions that will fit the bill[/email][/email]

Is your boat at the rudder club? My buddy saw a g cat over there yesterday.

Hi, and welcome.

I own a G-Cat 5.7 and live right across from the Rudder Club in Mandarin. I had to have a bar welded on the rudder bracket casting to reinforce it where it cracked at the bottom. Is this the same problem you have? I am told it is a known point of weakness with these boats.

Private message me if you would like my contact info and you can stop by to check out my 5.7. I have had it for 3 years and have made a lot of repairs.

I would be glad to help you out getting your boat fixed up.

Brad

tamumpower1

Is your boat at the rudder club? My buddy saw a g cat over there yesterday.

yes, the faded yellow....

Thanks Brad. my rudder castings need that support welded before they crack. replacement parts are few it seems. the clamp on the tiller arm is shot on one side and probably weak on the other. I need to replace the mast head too...a big hole in the water to put money in :)

MN3

JB weld is not gonna hold up the stress of anything on a catamaran - it is a short term patch at best in marine applications.

luckily the gudgeons has got to be one of the cheapest parts on your boat.

maybe I called it wrong...the 'braCKETS' that hold the rudder is what I have and it appears to be cast aluminum. the pins are ss for sure. ive even contacted hans G about parts. looks like hobie 16 will be my best source of parts.

kitesurfer2

Thanks Brad. my rudder castings need that support welded before they crack. replacement parts are few it seems. the clamp on the tiller arm is shot on one side and probably weak on the other. I need to replace the mast head too...a big hole in the water to put money in :)

Yes, the castings are no longer available so repair or replace is your only option. I have a great aluminum welder in St Augustine that put a 1" bar from top to bottom on both sides of both castings for 50 bucks or so. That was the repair Hans suggested. I also have a fiberglass guy with 40+ years experience if you need fiberglass/gelcoat work.

There is another important known point of weakness on g-cats: There is a rod with a hole in it that is captured by the overhanging lip at the joint between the hull and the deck that the side stays are attached to. In the older boats it was only 4" long. Hans strongly recommends getting at least a 8" rod maybe even a 12" rod made to better distribute the force. I learned this the hard way when the shorter rod pulled through ripping a large part of the deck off which caused a dis-mast and a difficult fiberglass repair job.

If you see a cat with a black main sail anywhere between Julington Creek and Downtown.... thats me. I usually sail evenings and weekends 2-3 times a week. I also do events occasionally with the Rudder Club.

Brad

there were over 2000 g-cats produced
there are probably 1000 of them melting in backyards

there are parts out there -just hard to find
i would search all around for people selling old gcats (or parts) cheap

I personally would get the gcat system repaired before i tried to retro fit another rudder system

PS cast alum castings break on basically all brands
this is a very high stress area with very crappy pot alum used on the parts

You may try calling Andy at the Tackle Shack in Pinellas Park. He has a boneyard of old catamaran parts and even if he doesn't have what you need, he mad have free advice.

--
Kenneth Purdy
Hobie 16
Nacra 5.2 (2)
Banshee
First Coast, Florida
--

klppurdy

You may try calling Andy at the Tackle Shack in Pinellas Park. He has a boneyard of old catamaran parts and even if he doesn't have what you need, he mad have free advice.

Andy took me out back a few months ago - holly shnikies ... he has a bazillion parts. I told him he should hire a kid on consignment to catalog and list all that gear online. he offered me the job (i told him to jump in a lake)

PS i like those guys there- Jimmy is directly responsible for getting me on the water on my first cat in 1999 by driving over 20 miles to pick up my first cat and replace all the rigging (needed or not). Of course i paid a lot for their service but ... that's the price



Edited by MN3 on Oct 31, 2017 - 12:02 PM.

I have been buying things and getting advice from Andy for about thirty years now. He is like a human encyclopedia about Catamaran's, and like I said, if he doesn't have it, he will give you the best free advice around.

--
Kenneth Purdy
Hobie 16
Nacra 5.2 (2)
Banshee
First Coast, Florida
--

I've got a box of parts, waiting to put on. My HOA highly disapproves of a cat in my yard so I keep the boat at the Rudder Club. it's a slow process getting things measured/purchased/installed. klpurdy, I searched for you at the Rudder Club Haloween party Sat evening.

Hey Kitesurfer2, I was at the Hiram's Haul getting my butt handed to me in the intracoastal near the sebastian inlet. I look forward to meeting you.

--
Kenneth Purdy
Hobie 16
Nacra 5.2 (2)
Banshee
First Coast, Florida
--