rudder pullin'
Jeff- I sail an O'day 28 and pulled my rudder this very autumn. It was really pretty easy. You need at least two people. One wrenching on the rudder attaching bolts and one (maybe two) on the ground to pull it out. My boat has a wheel which means that I had to loosen the steering quadrant which consists of four 9/16" bolts. Once I had those four loose I had to pull a long bolt which goes throught the rudder shaft. once I had the nut off of that I asked the people on the ground to push up slightly on the rudder so I could pull the bolt. After that the rudder shaft simply slides out of the rudder shaft housing. There is a compression ring which goes between the top of the rudder shaft housing and the bottom of the steering quadrant which you will have to keep and eye on and slide over the rudder shaft upon reinstall, but that should be easy to do. So, If you have a ratchet, a 9/16 socket, a 9/16 end wrench and a couple of buddy's or hired hands the job is doable. Good Luck, Mike
