C30 Rudder Hang Up

[Chuck Graser]

Our boat's rudder hangs up, especially when steering downwind with following seas. We would appreciate any relevant information that other owners may have before we start going through the whole steering system. This condition is serious enough that we won't sail again until the problem is corrected. As mentioned earlier, the boat does have some quadrant slop.Chuck

 

[Allen Schweitzer]

Fix Quadrant?

Chuck,This is just a guess, but i recently replaced my rudder & my quadrant and, when I first reassembled everything, I found that even a small amount of play in the quadrant would cause my steering cable to "jump" out of the grooves in the quadrant, making the steering wheel feel as if something jammed. Is this the phenomenon you're talking about?If so, I'd first take care of aligning the quadrant with the steering cables & then making sure it's good & tight. That might fix it. The fact that it hangs more while sailing down wind with following seas indicates that this might be the problem. When the boat is being "pushed" from behind, either by waves or by wind, the rudder stock (and the quadrant that's attached to it) is likely to shift fore & aft. Picture that there's a little "wiggle room" where the rudder attaches to the boat. Now picture someone pulling the very bottom of the rudder straight back & the affect that would have on the quadrant as it relates to the steering cable.Is it possible that the steering cable is getting hung up there & causing your problem?Just a guess.Allen Schweitzers/v DrambuieC-30 Hull# 632

 

[Jobee]

Maybe similar problem

Sounds like a problem I had. My sterring system finally broke, yeah right as I was turning into our dock. We had broken the supports beneath the wheel. There's a bracket beneath the cockpit that's accessible from the aft bunk. Remove the protective cover and see if the brackets have any damage to them. My wheel felt the same way and when it finally locked on us is when I started to look beneath for the answers. Replacement parts can be found and the repairs can be made by you if that's the problem. Before going out again I would find the problem.