| Author | Message | ||
     Jeff Roy New member Username: Jeffr Post Number: 93 Registered: 03-2001 Rating: N/A |
I replaced the rudder pin bushings on my boat this spring. I got them from S2 and they said they were the only 2 left in their inventory. I had to put the bushings in the freezer over night to get them pressed into the rudder gudgeons. Once they were in there I could not get the rudder pins through them. In a bit of haste I used a hammer and hammered them into place through the transome and rudder gudgeons so I could make my launch date. Well there is no more slop in my rudder, it was considerable before. Unfortunately becuase the bushings are so tight, the rudder is very difficult to turn. The pins do not seem to move in the bushings at all so I only have the metal/metal interface between the rudder pins and the transom gudgeons. It has been about a months since I launched the boat and the rudder is slowly loosening up but the pins are still frozen in the bushings. I guess I am slowly wearing away the metal. I also think it is going to be near impossible to remove the pins if I every have to get my rudder off again. In hindsight I think I should have just ignored the slop and left everything alone. The one up side of this is now I can let go of the tiller and walk around the boat and it will keep sailing straight! | ||
| Scott Corder New member Username: Pastcommodore Post Number: 30 Registered: 02-2001 Rating: N/A |
Lance, I think I posted on this topic a long time ago and it seems to have been lost in the web-site upgrade process, but that's irrelevant (regardless, Russ is still doing a great job on the board!). My remarks apply only to the nylon bushings, not the mounting hardware on the stern (John's note). Anyway, here's my experience: If my memory serves me correctly, I obtained replacement bushings for my rudder from the factory about 5-6 years ago. The replacement parts are a nylon washer/sleeve that slip over the existing stubs. Here's where I ran into difficulty: having removed the rudder (a very heavy object), I slipped the new nylon bushings into place on the rudder stubs and then hoisted the rudder back into position (again, very heavy object). The replacement bushings were VERY tight. Being unable to "seat" these into the back of the boat, I then tried inserting the bushings into the boat side of the connection (planning to "push" the rudder stubs down into them). In the end, I needed to resort to a large hammer and protective blocks of wood to "pound" the rudder back onto the new bushings. Quite frankly, I was a bit underwhelmed by the minimal improvement that resulted, given the effort required to return the rudder to its installed position. At the time, we were seriously campaigning the boat at Lake Michigan Class events and I didn't note any marked improvement in performance (as mentioned many other times in this forum, we've all proven ourselves very capable of making MUCH bigger tactical mistakes than the benefit derived from a tiny "tweak" such as this). I should mention that the old bushings still had at least 50 percent of their useful life left if thickness is the method of measurement. Also, we performed this task while hauled and sitting in the cradle. One last note (although it probably does not apply in this case), my boat is hull #2. Over the years, we have found several areas in which my boat has unique construction or problems due to the early stages of manufacture techniques, parts vendors and materials. Hope this helps, sorry for the patchy memory. Scott Corder Past Commodore "Scooter" 1983, hull #2 (ex Irish Rose as seen in the original brochure) | ||
| Lance Staughton New member Username: Twospeed Post Number: 10 Registered: 01-2001 Rating: N/A |
John, I haven't had your problem. but along the same lines - I have some play in the gudgeon pintle connection. Not quite sure if its the nylon bushing or the metal hole in the gudgeon has gotten out of round . Anybody had a little play in their rudder there? Who made the gudgeons and or are there nylon bushings out there? Lance Symbiosis #51 | ||
| John Stefancik New member Username: Jstef Post Number: 15 Registered: 01-2001 Rating: N/A |
Was motoring home after racing on Saturday and noticed that my bottom rudder gudgeon was moving from side to side very slightly. This has me worried! The gudgeon was repacked and inspected for moisture in winter 2001 and none was found. I crawled underneath the cockpit sole and inspected the bolts and backing plate and noticed moisture around the lower left bolt and the edge of the backing plate. Since this part of the transom is out of the water most of the time (when she's on the mooring) I'm less worried about the water instrusion at the moment, but wonder if I can tighten the nuts enought to keep the gudgeon from moving and breaking hull, letting more water in, and worst case-- some sort of catastrophic failure. I expect to take off the gudgeon at the yard during winter haulout and fix everything, but wonder if I can wait that long. Anyone have any experience with this part of their boat? Has anyone had to fix the hull between the gudgeon and the backing plate? Any advice?? Thanks very much. John Stefancik "Hurricane Kelley" Annapolis, MD (1983, hull #5) |
