During my last haulout & bottom painting I noticed thar the aft end of the rudder was very close to the hull. Apparently the shaft is bent slightly back as a result of a grounding. The rudder is not bent or skewed to either left or right. After painting & re-launch I could feel the rudder scrape ever so lightly when passing over the center line, and has improved somewhat as the paint on rudder & hull has worn down. The rudder post is not leaking My question; suggestions for straightining the shaft without dropping the rudder. One suggestion was to wrap a come-along around the keel & rudder and slowly tighten. Another was to put wedges between hull & rudder right behind the shaft & gently tap them in until there is some clearance. Also when on the hard I tightened the rudder cables, could there have been enough play in the shaft that I cocked the quadrant ever so slightly? Thanks Don s/v MerEllis h33
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Would not risk it!
I would not risk bending the rudder post in either of the ways you mentiin, there are just too many things that could go wrong. I think I would lower the rudder a little and put a spacer between the rudder and the hull or bushing, it sounds like you only need to lower it about 1/8" or so, you might have to reldrill the hole where the bolt that locks the rudder post to the quadrant goes through or just just file it a little oval. This would completly avoid placing undue stress on the rudder, rudder post, bushings or hull.
I would not risk bending the rudder post in either of the ways you mentiin, there are just too many things that could go wrong. I think I would lower the rudder a little and put a spacer between the rudder and the hull or bushing, it sounds like you only need to lower it about 1/8" or so, you might have to reldrill the hole where the bolt that locks the rudder post to the quadrant goes through or just just file it a little oval. This would completly avoid placing undue stress on the rudder, rudder post, bushings or hull.
agree with Colin
Especially if, as you say, the rudder is not canted side to side at all, then I would leave it alone as far as trying to bend it. That's a big piece of solid stainless and to pull on it or wedge it as you mention would put a great deal of stress on the bearing structures inside the hull as well as the composite materials of the rudder. I noticed the same geometry on my H33 when I first got the boat.
Especially if, as you say, the rudder is not canted side to side at all, then I would leave it alone as far as trying to bend it. That's a big piece of solid stainless and to pull on it or wedge it as you mention would put a great deal of stress on the bearing structures inside the hull as well as the composite materials of the rudder. I noticed the same geometry on my H33 when I first got the boat.
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Relax - It's easy (Sam Lust, Forked River, NJ)
Sailing in a thin water area I'm quite accustomed to bending my rudder shaft. The thing is so heavy I'm not too concerned about it breaking any time in the near future because the amount of bend is minimal. I have used two methods to straighten the shaft. 1 - Block and tackle between the rudder and keel. Lock the rudder dead ahead and haul away. Bouncing it seems to help. you're only talking maybe a half of a degree. The clearance was designed as minimal there to keep turbulence down. 2 - You're going to love this one. Had a crew of guys in the cockpit, dropping it down a bit, and tagged something hard less than 1/8 mile from home at the beginning of a day-cruise. Rubbed badly at dead center. How to un-ruin the day? There happened to be a sand beach right there that drops off very sharply, 0 to 6 feet in 6 feet. I lined up the stern on the beach, hit reverse and held the wheel firmly. Two moderate hits and it was usable, and the day of sailing was saved. The shaft is strong, the hull is strong, and it's just not that big a deal. When the boat came out at the end of that season I did drop the rudder down about 1/4" just for peace of mind, and damn the turbulence!
Sailing in a thin water area I'm quite accustomed to bending my rudder shaft. The thing is so heavy I'm not too concerned about it breaking any time in the near future because the amount of bend is minimal. I have used two methods to straighten the shaft. 1 - Block and tackle between the rudder and keel. Lock the rudder dead ahead and haul away. Bouncing it seems to help. you're only talking maybe a half of a degree. The clearance was designed as minimal there to keep turbulence down. 2 - You're going to love this one. Had a crew of guys in the cockpit, dropping it down a bit, and tagged something hard less than 1/8 mile from home at the beginning of a day-cruise. Rubbed badly at dead center. How to un-ruin the day? There happened to be a sand beach right there that drops off very sharply, 0 to 6 feet in 6 feet. I lined up the stern on the beach, hit reverse and held the wheel firmly. Two moderate hits and it was usable, and the day of sailing was saved. The shaft is strong, the hull is strong, and it's just not that big a deal. When the boat came out at the end of that season I did drop the rudder down about 1/4" just for peace of mind, and damn the turbulence!
Don't relax, Still agree with Colin
Notwithstanding Sam Lust's reported derring-do success in straightening a H33 rudder shaft by purposefully backing a 6 ton boat till it grounds on the the thin lower trailing edge of an exposed fiberglass rudder, I wouldn't recommend it. For one thing, the inner bearing structures are not that robust. Photo is my 79 H33 upper shaft bearing that I reinforced where the original tabbing had been displaced, probably in a grounding. I should have reworked the other side tabbing too. I also did not extend the block upward as the sketch indicates though I did tab the existing block into the hull. At the very least, anybody that wants to pull or push on the exposed rudder should monitor the health of the inner structures very very closely while he's pushing. Could be that straightening a rudder doesn't bend that massive shaft but does displace the inner structures.
Notwithstanding Sam Lust's reported derring-do success in straightening a H33 rudder shaft by purposefully backing a 6 ton boat till it grounds on the the thin lower trailing edge of an exposed fiberglass rudder, I wouldn't recommend it. For one thing, the inner bearing structures are not that robust. Photo is my 79 H33 upper shaft bearing that I reinforced where the original tabbing had been displaced, probably in a grounding. I should have reworked the other side tabbing too. I also did not extend the block upward as the sketch indicates though I did tab the existing block into the hull. At the very least, anybody that wants to pull or push on the exposed rudder should monitor the health of the inner structures very very closely while he's pushing. Could be that straightening a rudder doesn't bend that massive shaft but does displace the inner structures.
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Won't argue either way but...
My rudder was bent but not rubbing. I dropped the rudder upon haulout due to the bearing failure anyway. I chose to cut away a 10 inch quarter circle at the shaft and was glad I did. The top two stainless welds within the web were cracked and separated. The foam was only floating and it would have been only a matter of time to see failure. 2 part polyfoam and epoxy solved the problem after I had the machine shop straighten and weld the rudder.
My rudder was bent but not rubbing. I dropped the rudder upon haulout due to the bearing failure anyway. I chose to cut away a 10 inch quarter circle at the shaft and was glad I did. The top two stainless welds within the web were cracked and separated. The foam was only floating and it would have been only a matter of time to see failure. 2 part polyfoam and epoxy solved the problem after I had the machine shop straighten and weld the rudder.
Hold on!!!!!!
I too have had the rudder rub when dead center after running aground a few years ago. I just simply loosen the retaining bolt that goes thur a retaining ring which locks the position (up and down) in place. I was only needing to move it slightly so just a fraction of an inch will do it. Worked for me, be sure and retighten this bolt on the retaining colar. I'm doing the bottom right know and had the rudder off for other work and noticed my rudder has a dimple drilled in the shaft where the bolt snugs in, but it in just fine for years without slipping. Not sure why it held so well unless the hole is large enough for some adjustment or if it just held with presure. Others may want too comment on the pros and cons of doing it this way. Good luck.
I too have had the rudder rub when dead center after running aground a few years ago. I just simply loosen the retaining bolt that goes thur a retaining ring which locks the position (up and down) in place. I was only needing to move it slightly so just a fraction of an inch will do it. Worked for me, be sure and retighten this bolt on the retaining colar. I'm doing the bottom right know and had the rudder off for other work and noticed my rudder has a dimple drilled in the shaft where the bolt snugs in, but it in just fine for years without slipping. Not sure why it held so well unless the hole is large enough for some adjustment or if it just held with presure. Others may want too comment on the pros and cons of doing it this way. Good luck.
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