Dear All<br /><br />I am renovating a wooden Heron (sail no 1906) we bought a year or two back which started to leak badly last season.&nbsp; On stripping the paint off, I found a number of poorly repaired cracks etc.<br /><br />I took the wooden runners (?) off the bottom as there was clearly wet wood under them - but they came in pieces, having been firmly fixed with epoxy in some places but not others, and being partly rotten themselves.<br /><br />So I need to replace them.&nbsp; Does anyone know whether I can buy some pre-shaped, or have any recommendations on constructing them myself?&nbsp; Any drawings, measurements or dimensions would be particularly valuable.<br /><br />The splits I am repairing with GRP which seems to be going all right - but again, any tips would be valuable!<br /><br />Many thanks<br /><br />Andrew

I was hoping someone would know the answer an reply!&nbsp; Anyway, here&#039;s what I do know:<br /><br />You can have either 2 or 3 (I think!) of what are called Chine Rubbers (optional) and bilge rubbers (x2) required.&nbsp; Most herons don&#039;t have chine rubbers - but my hull takes a pounding on its chines so would actually benefit them!<br /><br />The rules which apply are rule 4.5 (4.5.1 thru&#039; 4.5.4) and 4.1.5 (which just says chine rubbers optional and specifies no dimensions)<br /><br />You may not have your handbook yet (I think we were running low on copies) so I&#039;ve retyped the rules here:<br /><br />[table]<br />[tr]<br />[td]Rule No[/td][td]Rule[/td][td]Min (mm)[/td][td]Max (mm)[/td]<br />[/tr]<br />[tr]<br />[td]4.5.1[/td][td]Bilge Rubbers - Cross Section[/td][td]9x25[/td][/tr][tr]<br />[td]4.5.2[/td][td]Length of inner rubbers[/td][td]2870[/td][td]2920[/td]<br />[/tr]<br />[tr]<br />[td]4.5.3[/td][td]Length of outer rubbers[/td][td]2260[/td][td]2310[/td][/tr]<br />[tr]<br />[td]4.5.4[/td][td]Rubbers may be tapered in height to hull level at the tips up to a maximum 300mm distance from each end[/td][td][/td][td]300[/td][/tr][/table]<br /><br />Hope that might help.&nbsp; If you need specific advice you probably need to contact John Howard or Derek Dodds (details in the newsletter - but you wont have one yet so I&#039;ll email you them!)<br /><br />Like you I patch my wooden rot with fibre glass etc - I thought that might have spirred a few of the purists to respond - its frowned on (but it works!)&nbsp; If you race you might find over time you get a heavy boat with all the extra patch work... (thats my excuse for being last!) :<br /><br />PS<br />You cruise on Ulswater... would you like to add any info on it to the Cruising Pages?&nbsp; I&#039;ve often fancied taking the Heron to the lakes to cruise, but at the moment I think only Derwent is on and I think it looks too comercialized for me!&nbsp; I like Ulswater it might well be my favourite lake - plus its on the right side of the lakes for towing&nbsp; ;D<br /><br />