Hunter 260 rudder question

[Sublime]

I'm wondering if other Hunter 260 owners can tell me how much play there is in the rudder. For example, when the rudder is up, if you grab the end and wiggled it from port to starboard, is there any play down at the bracket?

I can tighten the wingnut until I'm unable to raise or lower the rudder and there is still room for the rudder to "wiggle" and twist an the bracket. I'm concerned about the stress it causes on the rudder. Perhaps this is normal?

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

When you say the you have tightened the bolt all the way, the first question to be asked, are you looking specifically at the rudder head or top of the rudder to see if there is any movement in the rudder housing at all. If not, is the rest of the rudder moving right below the head or the big part of the rudder itself. It is hard to visualize.

In addition, are there any cracks in the rudder itself along the edges where possibly water might have migrated into the body of the rudder.

We cannot help until you give us more detail vs. speculation.

crazy dave condon

 

[Kermit]

I'll be on my boat this weekend and check for play in the rudder. It'll probably be Monday before I can report back, though.

 

[Kermit]

I tried wiggling the rudder while in the up position. No play at all in the bracket.

 

[Sublime]

There's no cracks in the rudder. Not yet.
Take a look at the pic. The metal "bracket" that the rudder is in allows my rudder to move a bit within it. The bracket itself doesn't move. It's as if the bolt is loose but it's almost like it bottoms out before the rudder securely "clamped" by the bracket.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

two things could be occurring. First the threads might not be long enough on the bolt to actually be able to clamp the rudder head tight thus allowing the rudder to move freely within the rudder housing. I have seen this before.

Secondly if you are leaving the rudder out vs. all the way up, yes it will move back and forth in the rudder housing due to law of physics I guess. Seen that too. Better when it is all the way up with the weight going down into the rudder assembly instead of hanging out.