rudder removal
I just dropped my rudder. I have a C-27 (1982) with wheel steering. The steering pulley was the most difficult part of the job. After shearing off at least two bolt heads, and trying to drill them out (I do not recommend this route), I used a sawzall with a long, metal cutting blade. The pulley is two halves of cast aluminum. Remove as many of the screws as possible. Follow the seam and cut the remaining bolts wedging at two halves as you go to minimize damage to the pulley. The saddle clamps around the steering cables were so corroded, I used the sawzall to cut the cables. I soaked them for a week in liquid wrench...they did not budge. There is a 3/8" bolt that goes through the collar of the pulley and the rudder shaft. This must be removed. At this point the only thing holding the rudder it the hub for the emergency tiller, and the friction of the rudder stuffing box. My rudder weighs about 60 to 70 lbs; The C-30 has got to be more. I used 3/8" and 1/2" line to "craddle" the rudder to attach lines from the rudder, up to the rail tracks to use the adjustable blocks to give my two "assistants" a two to one purchase. When I pulled the last through bolt of the tiller head, they would support and lower the rudder. The rudder and post is longer that the height above the ground that my boat when it sits when on the hard. I had to dig a two foot deep hole of for the rudder. (full keeled boat) wing keel, will be that much deeper. After MANY hours of work and frustration, of trying to "properly" remove these components...SAWZALL!!! I was fortunate that the wheel did not sustain much damage from the cutting... it was repairable. Steering cables had to be cut... they needed to be replaced anyway(20 years of rust) The yard quoted me $1200 to $1800 for the job. I could buy new sails for that. Good luck.
