Duralac or something else?

[Mikedefieslife]

I have a stainless steel rudder post (actually two, but that's neither here nor there). I also have a Vetus aluminium tiller arm for the post. Attached to that goes a hydraulic ram.

These are all in a clean dry area so there shouldn't an electrolyte unless the some occasional thick moist air is enough. Still it doesn't give me a warm and fuzzy feeling. I did have a quote for stainless ones from Jeffa. That gave even less of warm fuzzy feeling.

Is Duralac likely to be of any use in this instance?

 

[pvb]

Yes, it should help prevent any corrosion. It's filthy stuff to use, though!

 

[rszemeti]

I've generally found Duralac to be excellent. I am assuming the arm is bolted firm to the shaft and under normal circumstances there is no movement? It doesn't pivot or something? Assuming it is solid, I think Duralac will be fine, coat the fasteners as well.

On a side note: if you have not used Duralac before, and purchase a small tube for £13 ... the first few times you use it, and wonder the thin, oily yellow liquid ... yeah, well, that is just ooze .. keep squeezing until the green stuff appears. If you use the oily yellow stuff, you'll have to take it all apart and re-do with the green stuff later. Don't ask me how I know this.

And remember, a tiny tube of Duralac is £13 at the chandlers .. but a whole litre tin is only £24 ... https://www.silmid.com/sealants/jointing-compounds/duralac-jointing-compound-1lt-dtd369b/

 

[pvb]

And remember, a tiny tube of Duralac is £13 at the chandlers .. but a whole litre tin is only £24 ... https://www.silmid.com/sealants/jointing-compounds/duralac-jointing-compound-1lt-dtd369b/

In my experience, a tiny tube will last a boating lifetime!

 

[rszemeti]

Depends on how much work you do on the boat I guess ... those of us blessed with "projects" get through a bit more of it

 

[rogerthebodger]

Depends on how much work you do on the boat I guess ... those of us blessed with "projects" get through a bit more of it

When I started building DistantShaws on one of my visits to the UK I stayed with my brother in Bromsgrove and visited Llewellyn Ryland at their Birmingham office and they kindly sold me a liter tin at trade price as I was visiting from South Africa. Much cheaper than in South Africa.

 

[escapism]

On a side note: if you have not used Duralac before, and purchase a small tube for £13 ... the first few times you use it, and wonder the thin, oily yellow liquid ... yeah, well, that is just ooze .. keep squeezing until the green stuff appears. If you use the oily yellow stuff, you'll have to take it all apart and re-do with the green stuff later. Don't ask me how I know this.

WTF! I've had a tube of Duralac for about 10 years, and always been quietly pleased that it was still yellow and runny when reopened and not 'gone off'. What is this green stuff of which you speak? Are all my carefully and expensively upgraded mast fittings gently corroding away?

 

[zoidberg]

[
WTF! I've had a tube of Duralac for about 10 years, and always been quietly pleased

I reckon MY tube of Duralac is older than yours..... much older.

 

[Cantata]

On a side note: if you have not used Duralac before, and purchase a small tube for £13 ... the first few times you use it, and wonder the thin, oily yellow liquid ... yeah, well, that is just ooze .. keep squeezing until the green stuff appears. If you use the oily yellow stuff, you'll have to take it all apart and re-do with the green stuff later. Don't ask me how I know this.

WTF! I've had a tube of Duralac for about 10 years, and always been quietly pleased that it was still yellow and runny when reopened and not 'gone off'. What is this green stuff of which you speak? Are all my carefully and expensively upgraded mast fittings gently corroding away?

I'm pleased you've said that. I've been a boat owner for that long that I am on my second tube. The contents of both have been resolutely yellow.

 

[Neeves]

I, obviously don't know how the tiller is attached to the stock - but my guess is that the tiller moves, lifts up and down.

I'd possibly forget the messy stuff and isolate the aluminium from the stock with nylon washers and a sleeve for the retaining bolt (or pin). Washers are relatively easy to access I'm not sure where you will get a sleeve - but it does not need to be nylon. Now if your tiller is fixed and lock solid - ignore me . If you go the isolation route - keep some spares - they will wear out (though not very quickly).

Jonathan

 

[rszemeti]

When I started building DistantShaws on one of my visits to the UK I stayed with my brother in Bromsgrove and visited Llewellyn Ryland at their Birmingham office and they kindly sold me a liter tin at trade price as I was visiting from South Africa. Much cheaper than in South Africa.

South Africa, steel boat ... is it a Dudley Dix design?

The photos are interesting, is that the intial build and then a refit some years later?

 

[Kukri]

May I thank Mikedefieslife for this very timely thread?

I am about to attach a fabricated mild steel tiller arm for an hydraulic ram to a stainless steel rudder post. To judge by the state of other stuff in the same space (and there’s any amount of it), corrosion has been known to occur there...

The reason for the mild steel and galvanised fabrication rather than the off the shelf Vêtus item is that until Paul Rainbow mentioned it over a lunch table I had no idea thar Vetus made such things...

 

[rogerthebodger]

South Africa, steel boat ... is it a Dudley Dix design?

The photos are interesting, is that the intial build and then a refit some years later?

Thread drift so I hope the forum police don't get involved

DistantShaws was originally designed by Angelo Lavranos when he lived in Cape Town in the late 1970's and the hull was built by a friend of his where the Cape Town waterfront is now. The wheelhouse was added by the previous owner to me in Hout Bay near Cape Town.

I purchased her as hull, deck and superstructure in 2005 moved her to Johannesburg by truck where I did mods and fitted her out as shown in the pics. Launched in mid 2009 in Durban now in Richards Bay.

BTW when I lived in the UK I lived in Halesowen and kept my motor boat in Stourport for some time before moving to Northampton on the river nene.

 

[Neeves]

May I thank Mikedefieslife for this very timely thread?

I am about to attach a fabricated mild steel tiller arm for an hydraulic ram to a stainless steel rudder post. To judge by the state of other stuff in the same space (and there’s any amount of it), corrosion has been known to occur there...

The reason for the mild steel and galvanised fabrication rather than the off the shelf Vêtus item is that until Paul Rainbow mentioned it over a lunch table I had no idea thar Vetus made such things...

Why if the tiller arm is fabricated - did you not fabricate from stainless steel? Making up from mild steel and then having to galvanise seems perverse.

Jonathan

 

[Kukri]

£££!

 

[Neeves]

It was an obvious answer

I mulled it over and thought the cost the fabrication for stainless and mild steel would be similar (and the raw material coSt not that excessive different) - but the extra aggravation of then having it galvanised might tip the costs in favour of stainless - I obviously got that one wrong!

Jonathan

 

[rszemeti]

Thread drift so I hope the forum police don't get involved

DistantShaws was originally designed by Angelo Lavranos when he lived in Cape Town in the late 1970's and the hull was built by a friend of his where the Cape Town waterfront is now. The wheelhouse was added by the previous owner to me in Hout Bay near Cape Town.

I purchased her as hull, deck and superstructure in 2005 moved her to Johannesburg by truck where I did mods and fitted her out as shown in the pics. Launched in mid 2009 in Durban now in Richards Bay.

BTW when I lived in the UK I lived in Halesowen and kept my motor boat in Stourport for some time before moving to Northampton on the river nene.

Ah, right, sounds like a lovely project. I still fancy a steel boat, I shall have to keep my eyes peeled.

Stourport, I know it well ... I would not recommend anyone kept a steel boat in Stourport, the locals of Sandy Lane would have it weighed in for scrap! Should be OK with woood or plastic though, no scrap value

 

[rogerthebodger]

Ah, right, sounds like a lovely project. I still fancy a steel boat, I shall have to keep my eyes peeled.

Stourport, I know it well ... I would not recommend anyone kept a steel boat in Stourport, the locals of Sandy Lane would have it weighed in for scrap! Should be OK with wood or plastic though, no scrap value

The boat I had in Stourport was wood/ply and could be cruised on the river or the canal. Had great fun.

Would have a steel narrowboat in Stourport which should be OK or has it changed that much.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

On a side note: if you have not used Duralac before, and purchase a small tube for £13 ... the first few times you use it, and wonder the thin, oily yellow liquid ... yeah, well, that is just ooze .. keep squeezing until the green stuff appears. If you use the oily yellow stuff, you'll have to take it all apart and re-do with the green stuff later. Don't ask me how I know this.

WTF! I've had a tube of Duralac for about 10 years, and always been quietly pleased that it was still yellow and runny when reopened and not 'gone off'. What is this green stuff of which you speak? Are all my carefully and expensively upgraded mast fittings gently corroding away?

It comes in yellow & green now. The green is more green. Less nasty chemicals than the yellow. I wonder if it's gone the way of antifoul paint - all tree huggy goodness, but not very good at its job.

 

[Neeves]

I cannot think of a tiller that does not lift - If corrosion is an issue I'd be concerned Duralac, whether green (never seen it) or yellow would soon wear off.

This may be a case for constant remedial action and the only tube of Duralac not to last longer than the yacht.

Jonathan