Hey all! I recently moved up from a Catalina 22' to a Pearson 30. Took my P30 out yesterday and it felt like the rudder was a little loose. Is there supposed to be a little play in the rudder? Or is mine likely loose? If it is, what is the fix? Am I going to have to go under the boat or can the work be done from the deck?
Pearson 30 Rudder - loose?
- Thread starter JHutch
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Rudder bushings are avaliable from D & R Marine
Call and ask for Rudy. He may be able to tell you how to install them.
http://www.drmarine.com/products.asp?cat=295
Dave
s/v ARIEL
Call and ask for Rudy. He may be able to tell you how to install them.
http://www.drmarine.com/products.asp?cat=295
Dave
s/v ARIEL
Hutch, you undoubtedly have worn rudder bearings. A little play is acceptable, but major movement is not. This is not something you can repair in the water but rather wait until haulout or during Spring commissioning. You will have to drop your rudder and inspect the bearings at the top and bottom of the rudder shaft. They will either be separate bearings or the tolerance/tightness of the upper and lower housing of the tube will serve as a bearing. Be certain you do a proper fix as this is a critical element of your boat. Good luck and good sailing, Ron
In the mean time should I be ok? I dont want to be 5 miles off shore and watch my rudder drop to the deep....
there is maybe an inch or two of play...
When you say an inch or two, do you mean athwartship movement of the rudder stock in the shaft housing? If so, that is not acceptable and should be addressed immediately. Even a 1" movement of the blade athwartship is quite a bit of movement and you should be concerned. The issue will not cause your rudder to drop but there may be a serious structural problem, in addition to the rudder bearings, in the rudder shaft that could allow water into the boat. The prudent course is to haul the boat and have a qualified friend or professional appraise and diagnose your problem. Good luck and good sailing, Ron
...let me better explain...
while under sail it seems as if my tiller can move .5/1inch either direction before it feels like the rudder is "catching" and responding...
This is my first "big" boat and I'm just feeling overly concerned about everything..
while under sail it seems as if my tiller can move .5/1inch either direction before it feels like the rudder is "catching" and responding...
This is my first "big" boat and I'm just feeling overly concerned about everything..
Hutch, the response of a tiller boat should be immediate. The only way a rudder would not respond immediately is if A.) your rudder cage is broken inside the rudder allowing the shaft to move inside the rudder or b.)your connection from your rudder shaft head to your tiller assembly has some play (loose through-bolt or assembly) allowing the tiller head to rotate slightly before engaging. There should be no discernible play. Hope that helps. Ron
The assembly atop the rudder post, to which the tiller is attached, is aluminum and it wears. Particularly if previous owners had been in the habit of standing up and operating the tiller w/o it being fully down, that assembly can develop play. It doesn't have to by much play for it to translate to the feeling that the end of the tiller is moving a lot, without "engaging" the rudder.
Somebody on the old P30 mailing list at SailNet had fabricated and milled replacement assemblies of bronze, IIRC. I wish I'd bought one when I had the chance.
We're going to have our rudder dropped either this fall or next spring for some glass work and re-coring in the aft 1/3rd of the cockpit sole. We'll look to having the rudder post bearings replaced at that time, and I'll ask a machinist friend how much he'd charge to fabricate bronze replacement for that assembly.
That slop doesn't seem to bother The Admiral much, but it drives me nuts.
Jim
Somebody on the old P30 mailing list at SailNet had fabricated and milled replacement assemblies of bronze, IIRC. I wish I'd bought one when I had the chance.
We're going to have our rudder dropped either this fall or next spring for some glass work and re-coring in the aft 1/3rd of the cockpit sole. We'll look to having the rudder post bearings replaced at that time, and I'll ask a machinist friend how much he'd charge to fabricate bronze replacement for that assembly.
That slop doesn't seem to bother The Admiral much, but it drives me nuts.
Jim
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