Loose Lower Rudder

[John, CD28]

The pin at the bottom of my rudder is loose on my "new" Cape Dory 36. The pin is 1" diameter stainless about 5" long, and it's loose at the shoe, and at the rudder. Bottom of the pin sits in a cast bronze shoe attached to the keel, and top of the pin rides in a hole bored in the bottom of the fiberglass rudder. The traditional repair is to grind the shoe off the keel, put Delrin bushings in the shoe and the rudder, and reassemble.

Grinding out the shoe would involve DUST! Not sure about your part of the world, but around here boat yards, and private clubs, go nuts if they see dust flying these days. Is it possible to cut the pin with a sawzall, push the rudder off to the side just a little, bore the rudder hole a bit deeper, slide the pin/bushings into the rudder, then let the pin drop back into the shoe when the rudder is back on center? Maybe a dab of 4200 on the bottom of the pin?

Anyone done anything similar? Is there a way to fix this loose rudder without grinding out the shoe? Any thoughts or ideas on this?

Much Appreciated,
John

[earlylight]

John,
The pin was originally a press fit in the rudder shoe on the CD36. There is an excellent description with good photographs of the repair procedure here on Matt Cawthorne's web site: http://www.cawthorne.org/Rudder.html

Good luck and I hope this helps !!

[John, CD28]

Matt Cawthorne's site, and Matt Cawthorne were both very helpful in this project. John Stone & his website were also very helpful.

I've got his project well under way, and will start reassembling & glassing as warmer temperatures return.

I've added my version of this project to a website too: http://home.comcast.net/~ringj/LooseRudder.htm

Thanks Again,
John

[earlylight]

Very nicely done John.

[Carl-A259]

I use a shop vac when sanding or grinding, it really knocks down the dust. On my random orbital, I remove the dust collector and put the shop vac hose right into the exhaust , no dust.

[John, CD28]

Thanks again all.

I like the shop vac idea Carl. I have a small 2.5 gallon vac I can duct tape onto my grinder shroud. That should keep the neighbors happy.

John

[John, CD28]

The world has thawed out, and this job is back in progress. Few more questions:

The bronze pintle shoe casting was bedded to the keel with polysulfide. Pretty thick bed too, about 3/16" on each side. Why the polysulfide? Is bedding of some sort necessary?

If it should be bedded in something, would 4200 (a modified polyurethane) be better? Or should I stick with old fashioned polysulfide?

John

[David VanDenburgh]

Looks good. Not looking forward to the day I have to do this to Ariel. Thanks for documenting the process.

[John, CD28]

Image: Worn bronze cup in bottom of rudder ground out to accept new bushing.

Thanks David.

All rudders eventually need some work.

I updated the rudder web page with some recent work, putting a new bushing in the rudder. The open ended bushing renews the sides, but does nothing for the upper end where the weight of the rudder rests. I'll glue a thick washer in the end to add lost material where the pin sat, then add a few more washers on top of the pin, all greased up, to serve as a slip clutch to handle the weight & rotation of the rudder.

Updated rudder work page: http://home.comcast.net/~ringj/LooseRudder.htm

Cheers,
John
Cape Dory 36 Tiara