> Sent from my iPhone

> On Oct 15, 2012, at 11:01 PM, "Richard Hurt" <rkh...@comcast.net> wrote:

> > Bill,

> > I replaced the rudder support tower on Perla last spring.  I liked both the
> > Tides Marine and Jeffa bearings, but they would have complicated the repair
> > on my boat.  I had a new tower fabricated by a local machine shop using
> > stainless plate.  There was a drawing for a new tower floating around the
> > internet which I believe was originally provided by Wagner Stevens.
> > Adjusted a few of the measurements to fit my boat.  Used 0.5" plate for the
> > top and 3/8" for the rest.  The machine shop drilled and tapped the top
> > plate to receive a common off the shelf four bolt flange bearing.  The
> > bearing is self aligning.    The parts for the tower were lazer cut out of
> > plate, and the legs were bent in a press.  Fabrication cost for the tower
> > was $650.  The bearing was $50.  Cut the old tower off at the base of the
> > legs.  Left the old rectangle base in place and glassed the new tower in on
> > top.  The rudder had to be dropped to replace the tower, which gave me a
> > chance to inspect the lower gudgeon and replace the lower bearing.  Took a
> > friend and me two days to remove the old tower, prep the area, and glass in
> > the new structure.  Tedious work and long days.  I have attached a pic of
> > the old and new tower.

> > Good luck.
> > Rick

> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: passportowners@googlegroups.com
> > [mailto:passportowners@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of William Ennis
> > Sent: Sunday, October 14, 2012 9:59 AM
> > To: Passport Owners
> > Subject: [Passport] Rudder tower woes

> > Hello,

> > I've been crawling around in the "man cave" under my cockpit a bit more than
> > usual and found that one of the four legs on the (for lack of a better term)
> > rudder tower is badly rusted.  What is entailed in replacing the cage/tower?
> > Can a single leg be replaced?  Must the rudder be dropped?  There's a
> > 'glassed-in "box" from which the tower legs protrude.  Can another tower be
> > bolted to this? Surely this has happened to others and I'm wondering what
> > people have done.

> > I feel sure that this issue has been answered on the list serve before, but
> > I'm in Mexico and don't have access to the archives.

> > Bill Ennis
> > S/V Wings
> > P40 #78

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> > --
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> > <P1010703.JPG>