Triton Rudder Shaft Tube Repair

jhenson · Post by **jhenson** » Sun Jul 10, 2005 9:25 am

I'm doing cockpit repairs right now on my Triton. I was wondering if anyone has had to repair the top of the rudder shaft tube. Mine has two 1/2" squares missing out of the aft top of the tube where someone tightened the tiller head assembly set screws excessively to prevent it from spinning around. The clearance behind the tube will make it difficult to use the grinder back there (but not impossible).

I was thinking of only tapering the repair laminations around the tube (and not grinding down the tube)since the areas affected are rather small. Then I would just fill the gap below the patches with thickened epoxy. I dont know if this will be stong enough though. Any thoughts?

Joe

Post by **Tim** » Sun Jul 10, 2005 4:48 pm

Joe,

What you suggest will be absolutely fine. Proceed with confidence. Do try to get the tube as clean as possible first, though.

jhenson · Post by **jhenson** » Sun Jul 10, 2005 5:41 pm

Tim,

Looks like the damage was worse than previously thought. I found the whole back of the tube damaged down an inch or so. The piece between the two broken sections snapped off in my hand. I went ahead and ground a taper below and around this area to laminate a patch over it. I'll have to turn a wooden cylinder on the lathe to make a mould of the tube section. Hopefully, I'll be able to approximate the outside shape of the tube with some constructive sanding and filling. These things are always more compicated than they appear.

Between scuppers, an engine access hatch, redesigned cockpit seat lockers, and a broken rudder tube, it looks like I'll be in this area for quite some time. I'm slowly getting there though. Maybe I need to move on to the deck recore to keep from losing my sanity with this project.

Thanks,

Joe

Figment · Post by **Figment** » Sun Jul 10, 2005 8:10 pm

It must be fun to own a lathe. I would've gone the paper-towel-roll route.

;)

jhenson · Post by **jhenson** » Sun Jul 10, 2005 8:49 pm

It must be fun to own a lathe.

Yeah, it is. I love making colonial furniture, though my time these days is consumed by the decision I made to aquire an aging sailboat one night after having too much to drink.

I use a couple of lathes- a comericial floor model and a homemade treadle lathe I built years ago.

I'd be happy to turn boat stuff if someone ever has the need.

Joe

Post by **dasein668** » Sun Jul 10, 2005 8:56 pm

jhenson wrote:I'd be happy to turn boat stuff if someone ever has the need.

How long's the bed? Boathooks and suchlike?

Figment · Post by **Figment** » Sun Jul 10, 2005 9:01 pm

dasein668 wrote:
jhenson wrote:I'd be happy to turn boat stuff if someone ever has the need.
How long's the bed? Boathooks and suchlike?

Spars? ;)

Post by **Tim** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 6:39 am

Joe,

Have you managed to get a view of the section of the tube below the cockpit? Before going too crazy on repair, I'd suggest confirming that the remainder of the tube is in good enough shape. Usually, there's so much extra glass on the tube where it is attached to the hull and bottom of the cockpit that there's little to worry about, but the fiberglass tubing Pearson used in the earlier boats is often pretty sketchy overall.

jhenson wrote:These things are always more complicated than they appear.

Always! Few things in life are more certain than that!

Isn't that why we all love this so? hehe

jhenson · Post by **jhenson** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 7:34 am

How long's the bed? Boathooks and suchlike?

I would need a bed extension to go much over say 4 1/2 feet. Really though, the lathe is a poor way to make a 6' boothook. This is because of the lash and chatter involved with turning very long thin items like boathooks and oars. Yes, you can use a center support, but the results are still dissapointing because of the vibration in the piece. Modern production oars, broom handles. boathooks, ect. are made on a industrial duplicating lathe that really works like a key making machine and has no resemblance to a traditional lathe.

If I were doing a mahogany boat hook, I would first start with an octagonal billet, then plane down the tapers on each end evenly preserving the facets. Then you could use planes (a forkstaff plane is traditional but really not necessary) and hand scrapers to bring it round to a level of finish that would require little sanding.

Have you managed to get a view of the section of the tube below the cockpit? Before going too crazy on repair, I'd suggest confirming that the remainder of the tube is in good enough shape.

The tube fortunately looks pretty good elsewhere. Thats a relief considering that I have the new cockpit sole down.

Joe

Post by **dasein668** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 9:33 am

jhenson wrote:I would need a bed extension to go much over say 4 1/2 feet. Really though, the lathe is a poor way to make a 6' boothook. This is because of the lash and chatter involved with turning very long thin items like boathooks and oars.

Huh! That's interesting. I myself don't actually need a boat hook anyway?I made a 7 footer a couple years back and went with a square section with generous radii on the corners which works nicely.