1978 H30 Shaft Removal/Rudder

[MikeHoncho]

It seems to be all over the place but does anyone have specific experience removing the prop shaft and having to or not having to remove the rudder? If you have to remove the rudder, I'm assuming you have to remove the rudder skeg also? I know all about removing the engine and pulling the shaft out thought the cabin. Thanks for the input.

 

[heritage]

A third option is to remove the prop strut, allowing enough wiggle room to pull the shaft past the rudder. This seemed to be the least painful way on my H27.

 

[Dalliance]

I have a 1982 H30 and have long believed that there were only two ways to pull the shaft: remove the skeg and drop the rudder or pull the engine.

Some have claimed they got the shaft out by just loosening the strut and forcing the shaft past the skeg, but I always questioned that. Thinking about it more though, they may be on to something.

I don‘t believe there’s enough play at the shaft through hull to just loosen/remove the strut and get the shaft past the skeg, but if you also remove the shaft log and through hull fitting, maybe. The bronze through hull is held in place with two stove bolts. If you remove those bolts and slide the through hull down the prop shaft, you’ll have a larger hole with more play to angle the shaft past the skeg. I haven’t done it this way, so I’m speculating based on experience having taken literally everything in that area of my boat apart one or more times.

That you can’t drop the rudder without removing the skeg is one of the most frustrating things about this otherwise great boat.

 

[Tally Ho]

I have no experience with the boat in question, but when I pulled the shaft on my 1988 O’Day 322, I removed my strut bearing (I have a tool for that), unbolted the transmission flange and removed the shaft coupling, and finally removed the shaft log. Removing the strut bearing and the shaft log gave me a little of play in the shaft and just enough side-to-side okay that I could slide the shaft past the rudder. It was tight, and I took paint off the rudder. Getting the shaft in was even harder…having to not only try and get the shaft slid in, but also having to push the shaft into the hole in the hull. I had to flex the shaft a bit to get it in, until the end cleared the rudder.

Greg

 

[ggrizzard]

Heritage has it right. I've owned my H30C for 43 years
and have done the job that way 5 times.
Be aware, when you disconnect the shaft from the tranny, take care, go slow, and write us if you hit a snag, before you cause damage,

 

[MikeHoncho]

I'm replacing my broken strut so I know I can get it out but I'd like to align the strut then slide the shaft in when assembling.