Rudder Removal

[markhankey]

All of the recent talk about water in rudders and leaky stocks has made me
come to the inevitable conclusion that as my boat is "on the hard" I will have
to include the job of rudder removal to the list (water sloshing around in the bottom
of the rudder !)

I was wondering if anyone has got any experience of exactly how to do this and
also what sort of pitfalls (which I would inevitably fall into without your help) should
I watch out for !

Thanks a lot to everybody in advance

Mark

 

[Guest]

When I removed the rudder from my Hurley 20 I had to actually dig a hole in the tarmac.
The stock is about 1.2-5 metres and even with the nose of the trailer on the floor I still couldn't withdraw the stock so I had to dig out a piece of tarmac about half a metre by 30cm by about 30cm deep I then repaired the rudder ot it back on the boat and filled in the damaged tarmac before anyone noticed. I had a devil of a job getting some tarmac and in the end had to drive round till I found some guys repairing a road and managed to persuade them to let me have a bucket full of hot tarmac.
I then moved the boat and trailer a few metres to shake off the scent when the patch was noticed.
I got away with it but I still laugh when I think about it.
I'm sure there must have been an easier way
Anyway good luck with yours
Ian69

 

[PeterGibbs]

Why do it? Lifting the transom and lowering the rudder without damaging the bearings or yourself is no easy matter.

Checking the water within is a matter of drilling two holes in the base of the blade, and watching the result. Then sealing etc, when the flow has stopped. Then fixing the ingress etc.

PWG

 

[vyv_cox]

I'd be careful about assuming that a bit of water in the rudder needs only to be drained out for all to be well again. See threads below on some of the other problems that can occur. Apart from trying to preven future ingress, give some thought to what may have been happening inside, especially corrosion of the welded tangs that keep the rudder attached to the shaft. It seems quite common practice, on older boats at least, to make these in carbon steel. Check that there is no perceptible motion between rudder and tiller when a good heavy force is applied. Watching for rust when the water drains out would be a good guide.

 

[pandroid]

I had to do the same, but fortunately the boatyard was only gravel, not tarmac and I dont think they spotted. Had to dig a hole about 18" deep.....