Dropping the keel on a Catalina 30

[sailhog]

She's a 1980 and the corrosion in the steering quadrant is... substantial. The disk, or whatever it is that's attached to the rudder post and allows the wire rope to turn rotate the post, is a corroded mess. Getting it unbolted is going to be a challenge. I'm thinking that plenty of PB Blaster will be required. I realize I'll have to dig a hole in the yard just to drop the rudder, but my greatest concern is getting the "rudder disk" off. Anyone have any helpful hints? Any and all suggestions in dropping the rudder are most welcome.

[maj75]

Judicious application of heat and a BFH.

[Blue Stocking]

Worked on a Catalina 28 which had an Edson split radial wheel. Yours not the same ?

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by Blue Stocking

Worked on a Catalina 28 which had an Edson split radial wheel. Yours not the same ?

Maybe it's "that" corroded...

Although your mess needs to be cleaned up... Why are we dropping???

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, SAILHOG.

[SecureDelivery]

If it's that bad, then you will need to replace it.
Take some accurate measurements, mark post where it is(etch a line is best), photograph it, then cut it off w/ ideally a sawsall.
It should be aluminum and cut easily. Just avoid going into the post.
You can cut it most of the way then pry off to avoid the post.
Don't forget to clean, mark w/ a sharpie any other relevant spots, and grease the rudder post prior to dropping

[George Da Porge]

So if you haven't done this already, I just took off the rudder on my Catalina 30.
1) if the quadrant is as corroded as it sounds you'll want to get a new one.
2) first, tie a couple lines to the bottom of the rudder and attach them to the stern cleats. These will prevent the rudder from suddenly dropping out after you do the next steps
3) second loosen the control cables on the quadrant.
4) my rudder is held up by the clamping pressure from the quadrant as well as one bolt the goes through the top if the shaft and the quadrant. If you can't loosen this bolt to remove, cut the nut off with a grinder. 5) then use a grinder to cut off the 4 bolts on either side of the rudder shaft (in the quadrant)
6) if the quadrant halves don't just separate, tap lightly with a hammer or mallet until they do.
7) Note: all of the grinding to cut off bolt heads or nuts is done against the quadrant, not the rudder shaft
8) if you want to salvage the quadrant, then you'll need lots of liquid wrench (or similar) and patience


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[George Da Porge]

Also - if you haven't done this yet - DON'T use a sawzall. The bottom of the quadrant "box" is less than 1" below the quadrant. With a sawzall you'll risk cutting right through that.


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[Terra Nova]

What does this have to do with dropping the keel?

[neilpride]

Sometimes i end it with a grinder at hand and cutting the whole quadrant, faster and cleaner, quadrants are not expensive ,

[roverhi]

Don't you just love a tiller.

[lifeofreilly57]

While your at it replace the pulley assembly below the wheel post, those are quite likely to fail in a 30 of that vintage.
Many years ago I had an 81 and had it failed coming into a narrow harbor entrance, it was 8 years old at that time.
Sometimes you cant see the corrosion from below until it's too late. They're inexpensive and relatively easy to replace.

[Boatyarddog]

Interesting way to drop the keel, digs a hole and drops the rudder, then the keel just falls out.
Embarrassing!


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[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by Boatyarddog

Interesting way to drop the keel, digs a hole and drops the rudder, then the keel just falls out.
Embarrassing!


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Hey man....

This is WAY BETTER than having to deal with corroded rudder bolts...

[Randyonr3]

when we purchased our 30 some 20 plus years ago, the keel was hanging about 1/2 inch off the bottom of the boat.. we cleaned the surfaces, pumped it full of 5200 and set the boat down on the keel, it forced the keel nuts up into the bilge area, I pulled the nuts, filled the indented area with epoxy, made plates of 4 inch square from 1/2 inch stainless and installed as washers.. worked great and never had any issues..
Guess its a common issue for the keel nuts to pull down into the hull on the inside.......