Can you take off the emergincy tiller cap from the

Status
Not open for further replies.
C

Chip Willis

rudder post without the rudder falling out of the boat? The top of my rudder is leaking water into the bilge when it rains. The rear lazzaret drains onto the top of the rudder and if leaks down under the rear lazaret where it finds it's way into the bilge, tow three gallons on a good rain. I have silicone around the rudder post top but would like to remove the part that holds the emergency tiller and fix the plastic washer and whatever else needs repair. Will the rudder fall off if I do this? Thanks Chip
 
C

Chip Willis

forgot the boat is a 1983 C-30

forgot the boat is a 1983 C-30
 
J

Jack Bollinger

emergincy tiller cap removal

Hello Chip, I have removed my tiller cap a few times from my 1983 C-30, the steering quadrant should keep the rudder from falling into the water, if I remember mine dropped down about a quarter of an inch or so. Take a look under the rear lazzaret and you should see the quadrant I am talking about. Best of luck, Jack
 
Feb 26, 2004
22,759
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
C Clamp it first

Chip Clamp the rudder stock to the quadrant so it doesn't slip down or it'll be a nut to crack to get it up high enough to put the bolt back through. Try the C30 and C34 Association websites for more details. Stu
 
H

Harry Kelso

rain leak

I recently found a similar leak after a heavy rain. It was not the rudder, but the teak step on the boarding area of the stern. The rain water drained down the inside the stern into the bilge. A good coat of silicone sealant under the teak cured the problem. It's hard to imagine gallons of water getting in around the rudder cap.
 
C

Chip Willis

Well to make a believer of the skeptics

all the water that lands on top of the lazarett hatch goes into groves around the hatch then those groves empty on top of the rudder post. I looked for a month or more for the leak, first thought it was the 4” solar fan in the head the forward hath then looked aft and found a puddle under the bilge cover by the ladder. Then I though from the amount of water that I must be the cockpit drains leaking. Finally I was on the boat when it was raining and I took off the cover to the rudder that covers under the rear lazarett and there was the water streaming down from the rudder. Also a few very fast drips in two other places around the rudder shaft. I was very surprised that it was the rudder shaft, but no doubt it is. I will not take off the top rudder cap because I do not want to take a chance on the rudder shat sliding down a bit and then not being able to get he bolt back through the top cap. I would like to remove that leg bitter though, on the1984 Ca-30 they made a nice change and made just a round top for the emergency tiller. That what I would like to put on my 83’ but the rubber ball will have to do. At least I fund the leak and can probably stop it. I put some silicone on the groves that lead to the rudder shaft to stop the water from empting over the rudder shaft and some around the shaft, kind of hard because it urns but it should work. Also a plastic shopping bag over it when leaving the boat and it does not usually rain that much and that hard in San Diego. Any way now to see if I stopped the leak! I will also try the C30 and C34 Association websites for more details
 
C

Chip Willis

Yes thanks for that because

I did fix the major leaks around the lid of the rear lazarett lazzerate but was still getting a bit of water in the lazarett. I was sitting in the cock pit with my wife who had said she could not remember a teak step, I could not either and while we were sitting there we said oh that step. So I took it off and re-siliconed it up and wala no more water. Thanks
 
H

Harry Kelso

Stern step leak

Glad to hear that siliconing the teak stern step stopped the leak.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.