Hi
I have bought a Parker 325 last summer in Germany. I saw yesterday there is a long crack just under the head of the rudder. I suppose that is a weakness mark. I could send a photo if you need.So I would to know if a shipyard can make a new one. I cannot find the Bruce Parker 's e mail adress. Is there a new shipyard which have the 325/335 moulds?
Thank for the answer.
Best regards.
Pascal Claeyssens

Hi Pascal,

Not heard of this before. Have had some cracks in welds on the stock but nothing on the rudder? I'm wondering if you could get it x-rayed? Would like to see a picture.

Best regards

Stuart

Pegasus 325/37

Hi Pascal,

Not heard of this before. Have had some cracks in welds on the stock but nothing on the rudder? I'm wondering if you could get it x-rayed? Would like to see a picture.

Best regards

Stuart

Pegasus 325/37

Reply from Pascal (which came via email to me...)

Is it the blade is in wood ( wooden folds inside) under the laminate?
The crack doesn't move and the blade stays straight. A good shipyard will open the crack to see and make the laminate.
Jan Newman gave me some good advice. I think that is impossible to have a new one if I could not repair this one.
Thank for your help.

Hello Again Pascal, now we have the pictures we can see that the crack is in a fairly critical place and should wonder why it has occurred. If as you say the rudder is straight and does not bend under stress, has water got into the wood core and caused the split ? Anyway, make sure the wood core is absolutely dry before laminating more glass on top of it.

Jan Newman
Blue Moon 325/32

Hi Jan, hi Stuart
Thank for the answers. The shipyard says the crack is only in the laminate, but the wood is a tender wood ( to have a light blade) and the crack is at very critical place on account of the blade design. He says that the blade is weak by the original making. Have you heard about rudder blade breaking on a Parker 325/335?
I understand now the Stuart's precaution to make a second rescue blade.
Best regards
Pascal
Maruli P325/27

Hello again Pascal, I seem to remember Blue Moon's previous owner telling us that one of the plywood covers for the hull lockers could be used as an emergency rudder. It would be a bit sloppy in the rudder head but that could be overcome . Next time i am on the boat I will check out which cover it was.

Jan Newman
Blue Moon
325/32

Hello again Pascal , could the long crack in the Rudder be due to sailing with the rudder up ?
That is a good way to get a lot of force on the rudder blade and maybe the crack lines up with the sides of the rudder head if the rudder blade is half raised.
Just a thought

Jan Newman
Blue Moon
325/32

Hello Jan,
We had one day with a heavy weather when we came back from Germany to North Brittany and the third reef was jammed so we have sailed with only the mainsail with 2 reefs and without the jib. The boat was not balanced so the helm was hard when the boat was going in the waves. Maybe the rudder was not completly down. Now the blade is repaired.
Thank for your answer.
Pascal Claeyssens
325/27