Rudder shaft loose

[scottk...@frontiernet.net]

When I dropped the rudder on Episode I noticed the shaft was working in the rudder. The photos I have sent in show what I found when I cut the shaft out of the rudder to repair it. Tiny little 1/4" rods drilled through the rudder shaft and then the epoxy poured in the rudder in such a way that there were voids around the rods. As soon as the old epoxy let loose and the shaft could start to work, the rods broke loose.

 

I have ordered some 3/8" silicon Bronze rod to put in the smaller 1/4" rods place and after filling the voids and re-drilling the bigger holes I think it is going to be a good fix. I still have to peel some layers of glass off and "tie " the patch together and will have pictures of that as I progress. Obviously this loose rudder shaft problem was something I didn't find until I pulled the boat out of the water. I knew this old 29 was going to need a lot of work so no worries. I would check your rudder shafts for working within the rudder on your next haul out though. My rudder might have been built in a Friday! :)

 

No Worries, Scott

[Paul Sloper]

when you mentioned dropping your keel in a previous post, i was wondering.  now i am thinking you meant to type rudder.

wow, that's a an undertaking.  it will be pretty sweet to know that it is all structurally better the new when you are done.

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[scottk...@frontiernet.net]

Hi Paul,

 

Whoops, sorry about that, the keel is the one thing I think I don't have to fix. :) Yes, getting into it was a search and destroy mission but eventually I think the rudder rod would have loosened enough over time to split the rudder open. It had a crack started at the top already.

 

No Worries, Scott