Rudder bearing on 28.5

[Jeff McVittie]

I removed the rudder on my boat to check the bearings on the top of the rudder posts and make sure the screws that secure it in place. I read in another post that someone ( I think it was Warren) that had a crack around the base of the rudder tube and sealed it then had a bushing made to fit the bottom of the rudder tube. Any info would be appreciated, Thanks

 

[Warren Milberg]

The upper rudder bearings (2) on my 1986 H28.5 were pretty worn a few years ago and the screws holding the lower/upper bearing had sheared. The result was pretty sloppy steering. After removing the rudder (while boat was in a lift or it can be done if in a high enough cradle), I found a crack around the circumference of the of lower end of the rudder tube -- a crack not possible to find without removing the rudder. My boat also had no evidence of ever having any kind of bearing at the point where the rudder post enters the boat. I sealed up the crack with MarineTex. I had two new Derlin bearings made using the old ones as a template. I also designed a simple circular bearing with a lip of about 1/4" that could slip over the rudder tube and support the rudder post where it enters the boat. I think any local plastics shop could make these bearings and I had mine made in Annapolis, Md. Upon replacing the upper bearings I secured the lower of the two with eight countersunk screws. A few years ago, the bearings cost $300 to have designed and fabricated. Cost of the travelift, plus help from a few yard hands (rudder is heavy), to remove and replace the rudder was another $300. I did the other labor, ie, securing the bearings to hull), reconnecting the rudder and quadrant, myself. It was a lot of work, but doable.

There is also a very well done article on repairing/securing the bearings on the H28.5 site done by Matt Sanderson. Take a look at:

http://www.huntertwentyeightfive.com/Repairing_a_loose_rudder.html

 

[Jeff McVittie]

Thanks for responding Warren. I have the rudder removed and the top bearings are good I am more interested in the lower bushing you designed at the bottom of the tube. The tube has some wear inside. Did you cut away a bit of the hull so your bushing fit around the outside of the tube and flush on the inside or did you actually remove a portion of the tube and create a bushing to replace the portion you removed.

 

[Warren Milberg]

Jeff: I had a lot of slop where the rudder stock enters the hull -- and that was where the crack was. I think the crack was caused by the rudder stock banging around without support in that area. So, I filled the cracked area and kept the circumference of the rudder tube opening the same as I presume it was to start with. I did not cut away any hull area when I designed the bearing to fit over the rudder stock. I do not recall the thickness of the lip on the bearing was that fit up the rudder tube, my guess is somewhere between 1/8" to 1/16". It simply slid onto the rudder stock and, when the stock was inserted into the tube, went up into the tube as well, perhaps one inch or so. Hope this helps.

 

[Jeff McVittie]

I understand what you did for a bushing now. I dont think mine is worn that much yet. Thanks again Warren