Rudder Failures

[Zach]

In addition to what Neil said:

If your pins are worn crooked, they aren't in alignment to the load.

Measure the difference between the thin part and thick part where the bushing contacts it with a caliper.

Take half that thickness, and insert a sheet metal shim on the side of the cage that held the thin side to square the sheave up with the load.

Re-string the cable, and see if your helm feels smoother.

If the issue is with the sheaves directly under the pedestal, slack up the pedestal bolts, and lower or raise the front or back, that same half distance and repeat the performance.

When you know the thicknesses you need, the under-pedestal wedge can be made out of wood. The turning blocks ahead of the quadrant you can have made up at a machine shop out of stainless or bronze bar stock. If you are doing it yourself, drill the holes first, make your thickness mark and grind down until you get a constant taper.

I like Super Lube for grease. Take a chip brush and cut the bristles down to a 1/2 inch long or so and pack the groove between the bristles full of grease and slather everything down, including the grooves in the quadrant.

What you ought to end up with, if the cables are "just right" tension you can steer with one finger, a half a turn either side of center until the rudder loads up. You'll also feel the pressure difference back fed through the system, when when you are motoring...

If you are starting with a new cable, tighten it down snug and take her sailing. The next day, adjust to center the wheel and set the cables to just right to take the stretch out.

Cheers,

Zach

[neilpride]

Top 5 ***** stars advice... Thanks....

[Exile]

Originally Posted by neilpride

Top 5 ***** stars advice... Thanks....

+1

[transmitterdan]

Yard Guys,

Thanks for the advice. I think steering maintenance tips like these. should be a sticky somewhere. That would do more to reduce steering failures than a few thousand posts arguing about spade vs. skeg.

[Paul L]

I don't think you are really inspecting the rudder if don't drop it far enough to inspect the hidden portion that is susceptible corrosion, assuming it is a stainless or AL shaft.

[smackdaddy]

Originally Posted by Paul L

I don't think you are really inspecting the rudder if don't drop it far enough to inspect the hidden portion that is susceptible corrosion, assuming it is a stainless or AL shaft.

I understand. I just bought the boat a little over a year ago and had a full survey. Though we didn't drop the rudder - everything was good when checked for play, etc. I just wanted to look at what's there and get myself familiar with the components.

I'll decide whether or not to drop it to inspect before we head out.

[Gerrycooper56]

This year we were leaving a Fort Pierce anchorage when there was a twang from the lazarette and the steering became loose and no rudder movement. The adjustable eye for one of the cables had snapped off, apparently from corrosion as the breakage was inside the quadrant.
During a survey you wouldn't pick this up so replacing those eye/adjusters would probably be money well spent. A direct coupled autopilot would get over the issue in an emergency but the repair would be very difficult if under way.


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[Exile]

Originally Posted by Gerrycooper56

This year we were leaving a Fort Pierce anchorage when there was a twang from the lazarette and the steering became loose and no rudder movement. The adjustable eye for one of the cables had snapped off, apparently from corrosion as the breakage was inside the quadrant.
During a survey you wouldn't pick this up so replacing those eye/adjusters would probably be money well spent. A direct coupled autopilot would get over the issue in an emergency but the repair would be very difficult if under way.


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Good info, thanks. Those eye adjusters are SS so maybe suspect if older.

Was there any visible external corrosion, or do you mean the entire adjusters are out of view? Not sure what you meant by them being located "inside the quadrant."

[Gerrycooper56]

There was no obvious external corrosion with the break occurring inside the quadrant casting. You have the adjuster going through the edge of the quadrant casting and held in position by an adjusting nut on either side of the hole in the quadrant. The Edson system I have is vintage 1990 and although the cables look like they have been replaced I don't think these adjusters were.


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[smackdaddy]

Eek. Problems with the rudder on the Swan 43:

S&S Swan Association



And the 40:

http://www.classicswan.org/forum/pos...php?thread=143

From this thread:

It appears that all of the older Swans are exhibiting this issue.

[smackdaddy]

And a Moody 34 with a nasty looking keel fracture:

Keel & Rudder Repairs | Baltic Wharf Repairs



As well as a Westerly GK 33 with a nasty crack at the keel:

[malbert73]

I wouldnt like those cracks, but might they just be cracks in the fairing compound between keel and hull?


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[Polux]

They don't look good, but let's hear what Neil says.

[neilpride]

No Idea, Smack is fantastic this days finding weird stuff, like the Oyster ,and again with no more info to back up the picture ,

The blue Moody, last picture show no damage in the keel shoe from what i can see, can be from a tough hard grounding, collision to a drunk travelift operator fault. Who know¿

The Westerly keel looks ok to me, as the picture say, keel hull joint fairing fail, since on those Brits harbours the tides are huge , up and down down and up, one just need to figúrate how hard are on keels the tides.
Nothing really wrong since a boat is designed to rest in their keel, but dont expect a nice fairing job in a fin keel to last longer , keel smile in other words..

And the swan xxx file, well its a old S&S 43 design, 2 key ways along the shaft holding the stock in line and in place , i know that keys in a shaft get play sooner or later , i dont see anything to point here like a inminent danger to lost the rudder , just play at the shaft by wear in the keys, repair is preety straighforward and if you ask me , yes its a weird way to fit the rudder stock with the straps, but in the bright side allow the owners to replace or inspect the stock without doing surgery in the rudder blade.
Cheers..

[smackdaddy]

Originally Posted by neilpride

The blue Moody, last picture show no damage in the keel shoe from what i can see, can be from a tough hard grounding, collision to a drunk travelift operator fault. Who know¿

Yeah - whatever it was it was bad. The keel looks to be split down the leading edge - and the interior structure is trashed as well:





I hope all the guys that talked about running aground in their "blue water boats" without damage take a close look. It ain't just Beneteaus and Jeanneaus that sustain damage in hits like that.