Rudder bearing for H376

[Franklin]

I am in need of new rudder bearings for my 1996 H376. No, they do not last as long as Hunter used to say. The support guys at Marlow-Hunter are not helping saying we are a different company now and refusing to look it up in the old manuals on who made the bearings so I can request new ones. Anybody got any clues how to get new bearings?

Marlow-Hunter says to talk to a local machine shop. I am in an atoll in the South Pacific. Not many machine shops here and besides, bearings are precision built parts...not so sure I want something as important as that made from some local machine shop.

 

[Franklin]

Just thought I would update the group.

Seems that the issue with my boat was not the rudder 'bearings' but the rudder spacer. On the 376 they put a spacer between the rudder and the hull. In my case, the spacer seemed to stick and therefore wear uneven, so on one side is was 3/4 inch tall and on the other about half that. As the rudder spun, it would rise and then the lower rudder post SS covering would hit the tapered rudder shaft housing on the boat causing the popping sound.

Hunter says the 'bearings' should last 30 years of very heavy use. Well, I wouldn't go that far if you include the spacer. The spacer is easy to replace but that 'bearing' (sleeve) looks like a pain in the butt so even though there is a little play in my rudder, I'm leaving that alone for now.

BTW: the shaft is very big and strong. 6 inches at the bottom and solid as a rock. The rudder is big (I like that about this boat) so I guess it has to be. I just wish they put a little more of the rudder foreward of the shaft to make it more balanced. The helm can get pretty tough at times when sailing fast. It's not bad but it could be better, a lot better. I may at some point try to add more to the forward edge.

 

[Dave Sharp]

Franklin. What material is the spacer made from? What did you do to reduce the play?

 

[Franklin]

UHMW Polyethylene but I can only get teflon here in the atolls so that will have to do for a while. I plan on packing as much grease as I can around it...that should help. I know Hunter installs them dry but I want to reduce the wear as much as I can for the next two years.

 

[DStegs49]

Wonder if you could use the starboard (the white plastic type stuff) materiel and make one with a whole saw. It appears to be durable and naturally slippery. I haven't checked but I wonder if Hunter Owners might have one. I do have a question for you though. Did you take the rudder off in the water or on a lift? If so, how easy/hard was it??

 

[DStegs49]

I googled star board and this (amoung others) came up. http://www.eplastics.com/Marine_Board-SEABOARD?gclid=CNyGzcPM3swCFY-DaQodZRoO9w . They seem to sell it by the sheet but will cut to size. They have it up to .75" thick. Should be possible to get a smaller piece. Wolf's Marine in Benton harbor, MI has a box of scrap that I have picked through for different sizes. Tel 269-926-1068 EST hours. Could maybe mail to your next destination. Just thinking out loud

 

[Franklin]

Did you take the rudder off in the water or on a lift? If so, how easy/hard was it??

I thought about doing it in the water to see what was wrong but decided against it. I am on the hard. It might have been difficult with the boat in the water putting it back in. As for taking it off on the hard, it was not easy as the quadrant bolts were corroded on. I had to pry the quad apart and thought I was going to break it (I have broken one before). Once the quad was off, it just slips down about 2.5 feet before the post clears the hull. I had to dig a hole and that was the hardest of the job.

Word of caution, it is very easy to scratch the bearing walls with the post so be very careful when taking out and putting back in. If you need to replace the bearings, that can't be done with the boat in the water.

I will not use starboard. If I have to order something from the states, I'll order the UHMW Polyethylene. It too comes in sheets. My problem is getting it shipped here. My part is in Tahiti waiting to be shipped but the plane that was supposed to come Wednesday hasn't come yet and the boat doesn't come for another 9 days.

 

[DStegs49]

Franklin,
I did a bit of work on the blisters. Punctured, dremmel out and refill with west system. I have a section less than a foot square of delamination. It was on the survey and I figured on taking care of it down the road. Rather than the $ 1500-3K for a new one with shipping I'll work on it over next winter, when it is hauled for the season.
With the way it has been for the last 3 years I've had it, not much has changed with the rudder except that the side to side play has just become noticeable. Probly not more than a 1/4 inch at the bottom of the rudder. That is guiding me to next fall, rather than IMMEDIATLY. I was going to try it in the water in our marina. Quite protected and with it only 9 feet deep, if the thing lost it's buoyancy, I wouldn't have to dive far to find it. I think, I shouldn't have too much problem getting the quadrant off because the boat has been a fresh water boat for it's life time. Lake Michigan. Maybe just a bit of galvanic corrosion or so. I'll break everything loose before the haul out and then drop it (doesn't sound good using that phrase) when it's in the hoist.
The starboard was just a thought. I don't really know what they are actually made out of. Your dilemma of not getting the part so quickly brings Jimmy's song to mind of "Maybe be one come Monday". Don't know if that is correct but I had to chuckle. You're in paradise having problems. Love to hear some of the stories you could tell. Buy ya a beer sometime!
Launch tomorrow, after a bit of sanding and bottom paint on the rudder. Then I get to play inside. The PO did a nice remodel job with the chart table and setees but he made is all permanent and you cant get into or behind anything to work on running wires or fixing something.
Later. Good luck getting your parts and back in the water.