Refitting rudder skeg shoe

[sundanceoflorn]

I have had new rudder bearings made for my Tyler 34 following the helpful advice on Rudder stiff to one side

I bought some 3/8" silicon bronze bolts to replace the 5 peened copper rivets that were previously holding the bronze shoe in place. The rivets measured 10mm on my calipers but I couldn't see any metric bronze bolts or copper rod online so assumed these were 3/8" but they are a little slack. I am wondering whether to bed them with Sikaflex or epoxy or if M10 stainless bolts would be okay.

The shoe is also curved so there is not a flat surface for the hex head on one side and the washer/nut on the other side to bind to.
I am just a bit concerned about movement developing even with the bolts tightened.

Also the new top bearing fits snugly into the rudder tube but not tightly so am also considering bedding in Sikaflex as was recommended that rather than epoxy.

Any advice appreciated.

 

[William_H]

In would suggest it may be possible to grind away the shoe in the area where bolt head and nut will press on. This would give flat area for pressure. Perhaps use a dremel or similar to carve away bronze material. Or make or create some washers with an angle to suit iout of bronze bar. ol'will

 

[vyv_cox]

The bolts holding the bronze shoe to the skeg on my Sadler 34 are stainless steel, shown on this page Sadler 34 and 32 rudder bearings

Sadler used stainless steel bolting for all underwater fixings - skeg, P-bracket, Blakes seacocks, etc. After almost 40 years not one of them has needed to be replaced

 

[Chris CJ]

Not had a great experience with Kemps on our in mast furling main , the after sales as been not been great , we end up having a new main sail made for us by crusader ( the Kemp sail was only 18 months old ) cheaper to have a new sail than to take them to court !
chris

 

[Chris CJ]

Not sure why this has ended up here , it should have been as a response to new sails , no doubt plenty of comments at my competence - please save them for another time

 

[Daydream believer]

The bolts holding the bronze shoe to the skeg on my Sadler 34 are stainless steel, shown on this page Sadler 34 and 32 rudder bearings

Sadler used stainless steel bolting for all underwater fixings - skeg, P-bracket, Blakes seacocks, etc. After almost 40 years not one of them has needed to be replaced

I have posted on another thread where a Sadler 34 next tome on the hard has had to change the stainless steel bolts to the blakes seacock due to failure of the bolts. This meant cutting out the glass on the outer hull etc & re bonding bronze bolts. So SS bolts DO fail sometimes. Oddly enough they have also had a new rudder shoe made, but i do not know the reason for that as I never asked.

 

[Daydream believer]

I bought some 3/8" silicon bronze bolts to replace the 5 peened copper rivets that were previously holding the bronze shoe in place. The rivets measured 10mm on my calipers but I couldn't see any metric bronze bolts or copper rod online so assumed these were 3/8" but they are a little slack. I am wondering whether to

Imperial sized bronze & copper rod can be purchased here. But you would have to thread & fit nuts yourself
M Machines