Just acquiring a newer set of adjustable rudder castings may not be enough, but if you do, you may not have to re-drill the holes if you grind down (a little at a time) the stern of the radius on the upper casting. It took about 3 trips to the water before discovering that I had enough rudder rake to give me the helm I wanted after raking my mast.

When it comes to painting the boat, I only painted the mast and boom and they both have held up very well. Just clean them well, making sure that the surface contains no residue. If you can, paint them on a warm sunny day so that they dry evenly. The finish is smoooooooth. Doesn't look painted at all. Occasionally, I'll get a scratch where hardware on the main halyard will reciprocate (over time) when the main is lowered and cause a scratch (to the metal) in a specific location but I haven't had to touch-up one of those in more than a year.

The sides, I covered with Surefoot Eva Grip. They've been covered (without replacement) for about 4 years.


My therory is, if you want something to last, take care of it. I'm just talkin about me.