Rudder Removal

[Tmacmi]

Pursuant to my earlier post about prop shaft damage, its likely that I will have to drop my rudder.

Does anybody have any hints, experience, etc

There is a cap on the rudder post in the cockpit that looks pretty straight forward.

Below is a photo of a radial drive at the rudder post. Its clear that the large bolts on each side loosen it to drop the post.

One thing that i am unclear on is how to loosen the cable tension.

On other drawings of these radial drives that the are roughly 3/4 circles and the cables are loosened there.

On this boat the radial is a 100% circle. Thoughts?

Under that I think there is a stuffing box.

So any hints on this? Sorry for the PDF, that was before I knew how it post photos.

[mike d.]

if it is like the radial on our boat Gulfstar 3, the cables would be attached to eye bolts ! Loosen eye bolts, then loosen/take out the lock bolt, for the rudder shaft ! Lift the radial out of the way, and release the packing gland, Then you have to do what ever your set up is to take out, or drop partly the rudder enough to tilt it, so the prop shaft can clear. If your prop shaft goes through a skeg, you should be able to undo the bolts that hold it in place, ( If accessable ) to tilt the skeg, which would give you clearance !?

[Dsanduril]

Rudders are usually not too hard, as long as there is room under the boat. Not unusual to have the boat put back up in slings to make room to drop all the way unless you can dig a hole.

Under the cap at the top there is likely a bearing with a collar and some set screws that hold the rudder in place.

If there is no cable tensioning at the rudder end then there is likely a screw where the cable connects to chain at the pedestal.

Slack cable. Loosen and possibly remove quadrant. Loosen stuffing box. Mark rudder shaft somewhere convenient so you can get the same height when you re-install. Block bottom of rudder under boat. If it will go up slightly block it high to take load off bearing/collar that is holding it up.

Loosen the collar that holds everything in place (there's a chance this is the quadrant itself, it is on ours, if that's the case block up rudder first- I didn't put the blocking first as sometimes it is very convenient to turn the rudder to loosen bolts, I only block when I get to the bit that is holding the rudder up).

If the rudder has a threaded hole on top of the shaft (many do for attaching emergency tiller) put an eye bolt in the hole. Attach line to eye, then you can use line to lower rudder after taking out blocking.

If there's not enough room to completely remove rudder, and your only reason is to pull the prop shaft you may be able to get enough play to move it off to the side just enough to clear the prop shaft for removal.

[Tmacmi]

Originally Posted by Dsanduril

unless you can dig a hole.

If there is no cable tensioning at the rudder end then there is likely a screw where the cable connects to chain at the pedestal.

I have enough clearance where I only need about a 6" deep hole.

As near as I have seen so far, there is no cable tensioning at the redial end. Its a looped cable.

[Dsanduril]

In the photo you posted there's a long SS threaded rod with a single nut sticking out of the drive wheel near the center/rudder shaft. That's the take up eye. The cable goes around behind the wheel, then gets led to an eye on the other end of that threaded rod. To release tension ease the nut (there should be another one on the other side).

If you're lucky and they installed everything right it will just slack. Not so lucky and the SS rod is frozen in the wheel and will require percussive force to move

When you put it back together use Tefgel or your favorite antiseize to make the next time easier.