pearson 32-rudder movement

[douglas rogers]

My rudder on Pearson 32 wiggles a bit. I believe it is where the post enters the rudder because when I move it back and forth the post does not move at all.

I have removed rudder and plan to grind around post then add fiberglass and epoxy.

Anyone have another idea I would appreciate it. Not a lot of movement, but enough to worry that cracks could develop and cause real problems.

Thanks

 

[Blindnavigator]

Not a good sign. I think I would drill a few test holes from the side(s) further down the rudder from the top, to see if water has seeped in there and turned the shaft blades to mush (which can happen to stainless in the absence of air). You can easily seal the holes by injecting epoxy later.
I don't know whether there is any way to get the blade x- rayed, but I would make inquiries. Might be time for a new rudder if the slop is serious.
If the shaft is solid, I guess the only risk to trying to epoxy around the top is either loss of steering, or of the blade itself.

 

[ragman]

pearson 32 rudder post work:

My rudder on Pearson 32 wiggles a bit. I believe it is where the post enters the rudder because when I move it back and forth the post does not move at all.

I have removed rudder and plan to grind around post then add fiberglass and epoxy.

Anyone have another idea I would appreciate it. Not a lot of movement, but enough to worry that cracks could develop and cause real problems.

Thanks

I removed my rudder last November and found the bronze gudgeon, which supports the weight of the rudder, had excessive wear allowing the stainless shaft to 'play'. My plan is to have a bushing insert made to take up the wear. Also, my shaft has very very slight movement in the rudder itself, which I will tighten up with west epoxy. This 'movement' is very slight and not so much a concern inthat the rudder showed zero signs of water infiltration.
Before I removed the rudder, I also thought the shaft was loose in the rudder, causing the movement, only to find it was the hole/boss in the bronze plate that had .06" +- wear and was out of round. A bushing should tighten things up. If you go this route, make certain the bushing has a matching fillet to the stainless shaft.
I winter in Florida and won't be doing the work until I return to Michigan. The rudder is in the basement.