I have a 1998 Catalina 28 MKII. This year for the first time I noticed some dripping on the rudder after taking the boat out of the water. I opened up the cover for the emergency tiller and found it was full of water. I always thought water drained from this area and have seen it do so in the past. Not so this year. The boat is on the hard on the south shore of Lake Ontario and subject to deep freezing and I would like to ensure that it drains properly and stays dry. Yes I can put antifreeze in the area and make sur eit is covered but it should drain. Any ideas on what might be ahppening? Thanks.
Catalina 28 Steering Post Winterizing
- Thread starter summerplace
- Start date
If your C28, MKII is like mine there is a drain hole in the bottom aft end of the compartment where you put the emergency tiller. It's probably blocked up with debris. The drain hole connects to the lower of the two smallest thru hulls in the transom ( the other, higher small thru hull is for the propane cmpartment drain, the large thru hull is for the bilge pump.) If you have a removable panel in your cockpit floor held down with screws, remove it to access the drain. If you don't have the removable panel then try blowing the blockage out from below using water pressure from a hose pressed against the small thru hull briefly.
Is the water in the rudder tube itself?
I lifted the emergency tiller cover on our Aloha and noticed the rudder tube full of water. I'm assuming I need to pump it out?
Or does the tube go al the way through the rudder and have a drain hole in the bottom of the rudder?
Chris
I lifted the emergency tiller cover on our Aloha and noticed the rudder tube full of water. I'm assuming I need to pump it out?
Or does the tube go al the way through the rudder and have a drain hole in the bottom of the rudder?
Chris
On my CS30, I use a Jabsco hand pump to suck out the water and pour in antifreeze. There is no drain on the rudder. Don't let water sit there as it will freeze and crack your post.
The rudder is full of foam. I drilled a small hole on the bottom of the rudder to let it drain dry by gravity. There is really no need to plug it in the spring. Water will get in no matter what you do. I have a screw plug just to keep zebra mussel out.
The rudder is full of foam. I drilled a small hole on the bottom of the rudder to let it drain dry by gravity. There is really no need to plug it in the spring. Water will get in no matter what you do. I have a screw plug just to keep zebra mussel out.
Thanks for all of the input. I went aboard today and found the drain hole in the aft part of the steering post cavity. I knew there must be a drain there, just din't know where to look. I felt around and found it about center and a bit foward of the steering post reel. I flushed it with a garden hose and then used a strand of aluminum electrical wire as a plumber's snake to make sure it was free. The real move was to use the wire as a snake in the bilge pump hose. After doing that if flowed as it should.
For those of you just putting anti freeze in the well, I would suggest you try what I did. I don't think pumping it out, which I tried will get all of the water and could couse freeze damage.
Best in sailing to you all.
For those of you just putting anti freeze in the well, I would suggest you try what I did. I don't think pumping it out, which I tried will get all of the water and could couse freeze damage.
Best in sailing to you all.