Hunter Legend 40.5, 1983

[Irek]

Hi
I am looking for drawings, sketches or pics of how rudder stock (fiberglass) connects to the Radial Drive Wheel. Seems that after "meeting" with the floating log I have twisted the rudder stock. From the outside, it looks like fiberglass stock is "capped" with an aluminum bush that has the Drive Wheel on it and is through-bolted for the emergency tiller. Is the shaft of the rudder stock a fiberglass tube? What size? Can the twist be repaired? How?/ik

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

1983?
the post on the 1993 (the first production year of the 40.5) I had was metal, presumably steel.

 

[Irek]

1983?
the post on the 1993 (the first production year of the 40.5) I had was metal, presumably steel.

Hi Don
Sorry finger trouble. Built 1993. I will have the boat out of the water next week and hope to have the blade out the same day. That will show what I have. I can only hope it is not fiberglass./ik

 

[obxjeff]

Are you referring to an Edson radial steering system? Here is a photo of my 91 43'

lift the rudder up a little and support it. remove the steering cables first, and then loosen all the nuts and try to get a small opening between the halves before taking it apart. it is made of cast aluminum and is very brittle so be careful. the stainless hardware and aluminum casting don't play well together.

once apart the rudder will drop out. you will probably need to have the boat lifted to get it out - too long....

 

[smokey73]

I have a 1994 Hunter 40.5 that the USCG Documentation says was built in 1993. The rudder stock is stainless steel. The rudder was made in Williston Florida by Foss Foam. Yours may be different but I highly doubt it. They are still making and rebuilding rudders. One "problem" with the rudders from that time frame is that the rudder stock was stainless but the "fins" within the rudder were carbon steel welded to the stainless. If water gets in there it can corrode the carbon steel.

Foss Foam in Williston Florida can build a new rudder for you including the stock. However, if you have a new stock you are supposed to have the steering radial fitted to the stock within a certain tolerance. I was able to use my original stock and have the rudder "rebuilt" around the original rudder shaft so could use the same radial drive.

You can pull the rudder when in the water if you have to by supporting the rudder and then removing the steering radial as @obxjeff noted. The rudder is supposed to be neutrally buoyant but not if it is waterlogged. I removed mine when on the lift but they did have to lift the boat pretty high to have room to get it out. @JamesG161 has a lot of experience in rudder replacement.

 

[Irek]

Hi guys

Many thx for the advice. I have the boat on the hard and dry and miraculously when the boat was placed in the raddle and the floor opened, the twist disappear. I would not believe it if I would not have pictures from afloat situ. Examination of the bottom part showed that the blade is in perfect condition, clearance on the bearings is acceptable for further use, and the prop and shaft are intact. Magic? We were digging around but could not find what happened. Using Sherlock Holmes' elimination formula (once all possible are not probable, then improbable becomes possible) we concluded that the steering cable jumped out of the sprocket will. After removing the cable we found that some strings were broken (looks like it worked for 30 years), replaced the steel wire, and assembled it to as new condition. Works well. "Splash" in two days. But deep in my mind, I will have worry that maybe we have missed something.
I must also say that the workshop I engaged in dreaded taking the radiant wheel apart. After 30 years there was a good chance that some parts became welded. trying to open the screws could end up with breaking the radiant, which otherwise looks still in good condition.
So I dodged a big bullet (read the big bill) but did not quite clear doubts in my mind.
Otherwise, tku very much to all contributors for yr input. I hope there will be no follow-up to this thread./ik

 

[smokey73]

You are right about dreading removing the radial and keeping it reusable. It took a long time and patience to break the 4 clamping bolts free. On the advice of the manufacturer of the radial, I drilled small 1/8 inch holes from the top down to the bolt and soaked with PB Blaster. When the top bolts were removed, drilled down to the bottom bolt and repeated. Don't know if it helped but we eventually got them out. The center through bolt was so "welded that we cut it inside the shaft and used a spreader to push it out from the inside with the help of a little (and I mean a little) heat. It worked but we held our breath while we did this.

 

[Irek]

Thx Smokey for the very valuable advice on how to deal with frozen bolts. Thx God I did not have to remove them. But for a while, I will have to live with some worry if we really got to the bottom of it./ik