heavy steering

[pjohnson]

I am relatively new to sailing and would like a bit of advice (you have all been pretty good in the past) on a problem I have with the rudder to help me not get swindled at the boat yard.
Problem: very heavy steering when moving the wheel and screeching noise, have removed the cables and they are ok so problem must be with the rudder itself, might it want just lubrication? or is that too simple.

Had a repair done last year, previous owner had reversed the rudder aground and damaged around the joint/post, that was repaired by a GRP specialist but he left loads of dust, could this have got into the joint and cause the friction??
Thanks in advance

Phil

 

[Joe_Cole]

Assuming that the boat is out of the water; if the cables are still undone are you able to move the rudder itself?

Are you able to move the wheel? Are the sheaves for the cable running free? Why not try lubricating it all?

 

[pjohnson]

unfortunately the boat is still in the water, but I can move the rudder after removing the cables (internally), don't know how I would lubricate the rudder post whilst the boat is in the water.

 

[Talbot]

Do you have a secondary tiller (if not why not) use this to see how free the rudder is to move without steering connected. if reasonably free, try moving wheel without steering connected. Again if free, the problem may well be in the pulleys between wheel and rudder, these need to be maintained to enable a reasonably frictionless system. Bear in mind that one of the prime causes of a heavy steering with a cable system, is that the cables have been tensioned to much. Try to move rudder by just pulling on the cables after thay have been isconnected from the wheel. One of these will be the problem, just go about it in a logical progression.