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Rudder bearings

Started by Old Forum, April 08, 2014, 07:18:55 AM

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Old Forum

geoffrey osborn
   
Posted on Wednesday, December 05, 2007 - 12:10 pm:      
When I first sailed Calidris I did not like the - to me - excessive play in the rudder bearings.
This was caused by quite a lot of wear in the four bronze bearings - mostly in the lower pair.
The original 8mm diameter pivot rod was replaced by a 10mm item with a split pin hole drilled at the bottom to prevent the rudder lifting off.
The bronze bushes were removed from the transom and the rudder and reamed out to 10mm. After refitting the bronze pieces, some timeconsuming alignment tooke place before final tightening of the attachment bolts. It did take quite a long time in all, but there has been no appreciable wear since. Obviously a 10mm shaft has a greater bearing area, and I always lash the tiller when the boat is on her mooring.

Old Forum

David Cawston
   
Posted on Thursday, December 06, 2007 - 12:50 am:      
This is the first time I have heard of wear in this area. I would be a little concerned about the split pin in the bottom of the pivot rod. The rudder should not rise up unless it is touching/hits the bottom and that can only be a good thing. Rather that happen than the fittings pulling out of the transom. Anyway the tiller will hit the underside of the transom rail before the rudder falls off. If you have the original rudder on Calidris it should be heavy solid GRP, Roger has replaced his with an excellent much lighter home-made plywood one and I do not think he has any problems with it lifting off.

Old Forum

Julian Swindell
Username: Julian_swindell

Registered: 03-2007
   
Posted on Thursday, December 06, 2007 - 11:41 am:      
I would agree with Dave on this. My rudder can't rise off if the tiller is in place, so there is no need to secure it. I think it would be better if it could rise off, with a safety lanyard to stop it sinking to the depths if it did. My transom rail was cracked when I got Pelican and I think this was due to the weight of the boat being supported on the rudder when it dried out, pressing up under the rail.

Old Forum

geoffrey Osborn
   
Posted on Thursday, December 27, 2007 - 08:59 pm:      
Thanks fellow WB'ers.
Some good points there. I think I shall remove the split pin; and use a safety lanyard.
While Calidris has been on the mooring I did find the tiller loose in the cockpit one time. I have now replaced the split-pin with a screw threaded into the bronze rudder cap casting. This seems to remain secure.

Old Forum

davidcawston
   
Posted on Tuesday, January 01, 2008 - 04:16 pm:      
I have done just the same with Markie, a 6mm s/steel bolt passing through the tiller and tapping one side of the bronze cap. No projecting pin to catch a slack mainsheet. However I am always worried about dropping the spanner overboard when removing/fitting the bolt.
And a Happy New Year to everyone as well. Book your Easter Holiday now and join the TSA on the Norfolk Broads.
David
WB Markie

Old Forum

martin cartwright
   
Posted on Saturday, March 15, 2008 - 11:24 am:      
As Dave and Roger noticed on the Windermere cruise, my rudder seems to have been fitted too low down, so that the tiller only just clears the engine. Could someone please let me know what the distance is from the bottom of the rudder to the bottom of the lower bronze rudder fitting is?
Thanks.

Old Forum

Roger Parish
   
Posted on Saturday, March 15, 2008 - 03:33 pm:      
52cm from the underside of the fitting( measured along the leading edge of the rudder ) to a line projected along the bottom edge of the rudder. The bottom pintle is 16cm up from the bottom of the boat. Dont forget to plug any old holes!!

Old Forum

martincartwright
   
Posted on Sunday, March 16, 2008 - 09:06 am:      
Thanks Roger.

Paul Thomas

Help anyone please!  I am removing the rudder pintles to paint the hull and so that I can give them a good polish, but how are they secured?  I assumed a captive nut on the back, but having loosened them, they didn't screw out any further. I tried to tighten them back up again, but they just spin.  Can I get to the back of them, and what will I find if I do?  There seems to be a very narrow space between the transom and the inside of the engine well, but I don't fancy my chances of getting in there.

Rick

Hi Paul - I'm fairly sure it's just a simple nut on the bolt, it's just a bit awkward to get to. Anything other than a nut wouldn't spin so easily. As to what size spanner to use - anyone's guess! Have you tried looking via a mirror and torch?

dave_cawston

Yes it is just a nut on the end of the bolt, except the nut has been 'glassed' over and once the nut starts turning you have to break/chisel off the grp covering over the nut to get a spanner on it.  It is very tight between the inner moulding and the transom, cut knuckles are the order of the day!

Paul Thomas

Thanks for all the replies.  They have a 10mm nut on the back, very difficult to get to, but I've got thin arms.  Originally glassed in but now with a large washer to hold them proud of the strengthening pad.  I shall replace with a piece of stainless stock, drilled and tapped to take the machine screws and long enough to hold from inside the locker.  This will make them more accessible and they will lock against each other, preventing them from spinning.  This mod has already been carried out on the lower one.