Wooden rudder maintenance

[okawbow]

It seems like several here have wooden rudders. I just brought home a 19' Corinthian with a wooden rudder. What should I do, if anything, about several vertical cracks in the wood? There is no movement, and the cracks are not too bad. I will be keeping the boat on a trailer, and launching for 1-4 days at a time. I would also like to fair the leading edge of the rudder, where it joins the shaft. Any suggestions?

Thanks

[bcooke]

It is quite normal for wooden rudders to develop cracks when they dry out. Unless you have an exceptional case when you put it in the water, the wood will swell and the cracks will dissapear.