A little background on the reason and arrival to my question.
We are in our 2nd year of ownership of a 1988 28.5 hunter. Since the purchase I have been dealing with a seawater leak ONLY when under power. Items checked OK have been prop shaft seal (PSS), keel joint, through hulls, cockpit drain scuppers and engine cooling/exhaust system entire. The water comes in just aft of the prop shaft log and collects in the engine sump area, approximately 1/2-1 gallon an hour depending on boat speed. Absolutely dry when docked or sailing.
Through process of elimination I have determined the leak to be coming from the rudder tube somewhere just above her static water line. Under power, like most boats, she squats into the water causing this leak to start. Due to the design of this boat it is impossible to see the tube from the inside without major surgery to the aft cabin rear bulkhead.
I have searched and read every article and photo I can find on this set-up without much success. Warren Milbergs article about his vessel CrewZen is similar as far as the top rudder bushings but his lower bushing/bearing is different.
I removed my rudder and this is what I found.
The lower bushing is made from the same Delrin material as the upper bushings and it measures approximately 6" tall. It is my suspicion that the leak is migrating around this lower bushing and through a unseen crack or opening within the tube behind the pocket the bushing sits in.
As you can see in the pictures the bushing seams to be held up in place with a fiberglass plate of sorts. This plate measures about 1/4" thick and I'm sure the hull is thicker than this plate. I can insert a feeler gauge in between the plate and bushing almost an inch. I feel no screws with the feeler gauge while probing.
Has anyone seen this setup on your vessel and can shed some light?
Thanks in advance to all who respond!
We are in our 2nd year of ownership of a 1988 28.5 hunter. Since the purchase I have been dealing with a seawater leak ONLY when under power. Items checked OK have been prop shaft seal (PSS), keel joint, through hulls, cockpit drain scuppers and engine cooling/exhaust system entire. The water comes in just aft of the prop shaft log and collects in the engine sump area, approximately 1/2-1 gallon an hour depending on boat speed. Absolutely dry when docked or sailing.
Through process of elimination I have determined the leak to be coming from the rudder tube somewhere just above her static water line. Under power, like most boats, she squats into the water causing this leak to start. Due to the design of this boat it is impossible to see the tube from the inside without major surgery to the aft cabin rear bulkhead.
I have searched and read every article and photo I can find on this set-up without much success. Warren Milbergs article about his vessel CrewZen is similar as far as the top rudder bushings but his lower bushing/bearing is different.
I removed my rudder and this is what I found.
The lower bushing is made from the same Delrin material as the upper bushings and it measures approximately 6" tall. It is my suspicion that the leak is migrating around this lower bushing and through a unseen crack or opening within the tube behind the pocket the bushing sits in.
As you can see in the pictures the bushing seams to be held up in place with a fiberglass plate of sorts. This plate measures about 1/4" thick and I'm sure the hull is thicker than this plate. I can insert a feeler gauge in between the plate and bushing almost an inch. I feel no screws with the feeler gauge while probing.
Has anyone seen this setup on your vessel and can shed some light?
Thanks in advance to all who respond!
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