What Are These Things On Lower Rudder Bearing?

[kawaboy]

Hello all

The picture shows the lower rudder bearing on a rob perry 42ft Tatoosh

What are those round things? There is another one on the other side but offset from the one shown.

Is there a reason that the lower part wasnt painted?

Would this be some mechanism to remove the bottom bearing to allow removal of the rudder? I certainly hope so so I can service bearings etc.

As usual thanks for your help.

Joe in Manila

[Paul L]

Bots or welded rod that secures the gudgeon.

[kawaboy]

Hi

How would the gudgeon be dismantled? The round thing has a hole in it so I don't think it is a bolt.

Thanks

[Paul L]

I'd clean it up to get a better view. It might need to be drilled and then punched out.

[kawaboy]

Thanks

I'll have a closer look as I'm curious as to how they are put together.

Cheers

[Larry T.]

Could zincs have been involved in any way shape or form?

[rognvald]

Kawaboy,
The top fitting is a through-hull. Purpose? The rod/shaft below the through hull is probably a shaft that holds the gudgeon in place as Paul has stated. You need to do a thorough cleaning of the area before a final appraisal can be made. Why not send some pix after it is clean? Good luck and safe sailing. P.S. In any case, you have some recon do to before launching.

[tinkrman69]

looking close at the picture I see a line at the top or the unpainted area. I would think that the skegg apove is glass and the lower section is metal of some sort. In that case I would look down at the skeg from inside the boat. You might find it hollow and see bolts at the bottom. There is a definite need for anodes in that area, seeing the oxidation. As far as bottom paint in that area. If it's metal it needs a different paint, as the anti-toweling paint for glass copper and/or tin in it and would oxidize the surface and peal off.

good luck
Lance

[ztsf]

If you are referring to the round thing that appears to be a hole, I would guess that it is for a zinc. I have two zincs offset on my rudder. Is the hole tapped, it looks like it might be from the photo? If so, that's a place where the zinc screws in and should not be painted where the zinc contacts the surface.

Of more concern is what appears to be rust stains below the bottom of the rudder shaft. Is that rust or is it just orange colored marine growth?

[jhulmer]

Originally Posted by Larry T.

Could zincs have been involved in any way shape or form?

I agree that is a clear hole to mount a zinc each side of the rudder.

[Cheechako]

Strangely, that does appear to be a small mushroom thru hull fitting.,... which is a bit weird... Why not contact Bob Perry with that pic?
Below that fitting a couple of inches there appears to be a broken off rusty bolt, which may be where the zinc was.

[deblen]

Read this thread. It shows the design of a rudder with a bronze shoe like yours. What should I expect now? - Rudder removal

There are bolts/Flat head screws or something similar going thru the bronze shoe & into or thru the enclosed tip of GRP rudder that is inside the hollow bronze shoe.

/ Len

[deblen]

Originally Posted by kawaboy

Hello all

The picture shows the lower rudder bearing on a rob perry 42ft Tatoosh

What are those round things? There is another one on the other side but offset from the one shown.

Is there a reason that the lower part wasnt painted?

Would this be some mechanism to remove the bottom bearing to allow removal of the rudder? I certainly hope so so I can service bearings etc.

As usual thanks for your help.

Joe in Manila

In the pic---is the rudder on the right or left side of pic? / Len

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by deblen

In the pic---is the rudder on the right or left side of pic? / Len

The rudder is on the left. Often those bronze shoes go up inside the fiberglass skeg. They are cast smaller where they do that. Then as mentioned they are drilled and tapped and flat head screws go thru the fiberglass on the outside into the shoe which is inside the glass. Then screw heads filled with bondo etc. From the looks of that rudder shaft bleeding rust I bet that rudder is filled with water.

[RABenko]

My vote is that the mount is for zincs. You need to protect the submerged metal fittings with zincs and that is also why it is not painted for good electrical conductivity.