REmoving the water
The rudder should float if it's not totally waterlogged. I you are in the water, dive to secure it with carefully with a rope, then release it, and force the post down until it floats free of the boat. To release a rudder in the water or on the hard (for a tiller model - you'll need someone else'a advice if you have a wheel) is pretty simple. Remove the tiller. Remove the bronze fitting that attaches to the tiller. Then remove the retaining ring that is fastened to the post with a through-bolt, and rides on the teak bearing. You can hold the rudder for a moment by squeezing the post. Then it will just fall through the hole. If you are on the hard, you need enough clearance under the boat to get the post out of the boat. This usually means digging a hole under the rudder to create the clearance. Or you could arrange to take it off while the boat is in the sling, or on a lift. There are some posts in the archives here about draining the rudder by drilling holes, and then refilling them - I suggest you search there. David Lady Lillie
