Transom Flaps

[Crusader 3244]

Flaps that leak while you have business at the blunt end - like hanging a rudder - are irksome. The old ones on 3244 did cos they may have warped with age and/or storage.

I used polycarboate sheeting (plastic glass) from B&Q to fashion replacements for 3244. They turned out good and stiff and make a good seal. I cut them to shape using a powered jigsaw -  BUT (!!) I do recall the exercise of cutting was not plain sailing; the material itself is not easy to work with a jigsaw. It could be better to work with if sandwiched between some scraps of ply.
My cut edges were a bit crude but I had a course file that tidied them up and then finished them off by offering up to a belt sander. Hinges were sinply reclaimed from the old flaps. They're simply a flat hinge (plastic with stainless pin) with a shim fixed to one half and the flap fixed to the other. Work well.

[nigelf]

Just about every idea has been posted but I can add that I have made two ideal flaps from the bottom and the lid of a redundant video cassette box. The plastic is almost impossible to saw without it splitting but an hour or so with a Stanley trimming knife and you have two good-sized flaps - just a little sanding down required at the edges. N3535.

[Jerry G (Guest)]

P&B do a thin perspex sheet just large enough to cut 2 flaps from.  We used sail repair tape as a hinge at first but it tended to come unstuck after a while and we lost a flap.  The best "sticky tape" hinge we found was polythene tunnel repair tape - like strong wide selotape but UV resistant so it does not degrade in sunlight like selotape does.  No need to purchase a whole roll if you know a friendly nurseryman or strawberry grower!

[angus]

I made mine from one piece bought from p & b 2mm perspex I think you can get it much cheaper off ebay but I was in a hurry at the time it is held on by rudder pintles and they are about the biggest transom flaps you will see becaiuse I have a pretty open transom although not many people get to see it! I nned shock cord because they flap about in the wind but you will probably not need it. As for water coming the flaps when you put the rudder on unlesss you are sailing somewhere like hykem and got a fixed rudder, put the rudder on before you get in even if I don't i normaly get more water in from my shoes anyway. If not it soon comes in over the side!!!!!