Rudder failure in 2005 Bavaria 50

[gianenrico]

/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gifSorry if the link is to an italian site, butr the gentleman experienced the failure of the bolts fixing the rudder in a Bavaria 50 while crossing the Atlantic and had to go fo r Capo Verde and then ship the boat to Portugal:

http://forum.velarossa.it/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7281&whichpage=1

Luckily no injuries but also reports of water flowing in from windows, closed companionway, stanchions etc. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[chrisc]

suprised that this problem with the upper mounting should have caused any panic.surely this is accesible and ok to fix with the boat in the water?

 

[Whitelighter]

Er, to be fair - he was crossing the bloody atlantic. Half the Volvo fleet suffered some form aof breakage in big oceans.

 

[pappaecho]

The pictures seem to show the stern tube, and considerable wear in the fixing screws which may not have been tight,
I seem to remember a boat sank of West Coast of Scotand last year when a badly installed self steering system caused a leak from the stern tube.
The skipper did the right thing, in not trying to continue

 

[MapisM]

Scary stuff.
Do you know anything about the certification of that boat?
On their site, Bavaria only reports the certification for their "motorboote".
Maybe it was built to "Garda see" specifications, and the skipper was just crazy bringing it out in the ocean...

 

[trouville]

Thats dreadful!Ill cross it off my list of new boats!

Two years ago i took a pic of a bav with a rudder out of commision it was shocking! In the same park was a folkboat with just a bit broken off the rudder when that it a rock one sailed to dry dock the other was salvaged!

I know which boat i would choose???

 

[gianenrico]

Certificate states "A class" CE: that is a boat without navigation limitations..................

 

[gianenrico]

The proper design and manufacturing of large, deep and un-skegged rudders seem not so obvious....

 

[steve_l]

I chartered a Bavaria 35 some 8/9 yrs ago from Haslar. Wondered why the lee-side cabin sole was awash when heeled. Pumped it out but it came back so fast.

Took a while to find the reason... It wasn't easy to get at but the rudder tube was weeping badly as it was working its way out of the boss in the hull and was about 1/2in out already with not much more to go. Result could have been a 2in dia hole under the waterline!
Managed to twist it back into place and tape it up until the charted was returned.

Comment from the charterer... " We've been wondering where the water was coming from but couldn't find the source. The dealer couldn't find it either".

Lots of salt water in the bilge for no apparent reason is good motivation to find the source!

Not impresses with Bavaria build quality!

-steve-