I have a hunter 27 1981 and I need to replace the rudder, does anyone know if this could be done without pulling the boat out of the water? also does anyone know how to replace it ?
Thanks
Thanks
rudder replacement
- Thread starter justsailing
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I would guess you can do this in the water. The first thing you may need to assess is if there is enough water under the rudder to drop it.
The next problem may be getting it back in. The are normally bouyant and that may be an issue.
Do you have tiller or wheel steering. That may help someone give you directions on how to do the R/R.
The next problem may be getting it back in. The are normally bouyant and that may be an issue.
Do you have tiller or wheel steering. That may help someone give you directions on how to do the R/R.
If you need to pull your rudder, pull the boat out of the water! Even if you have all the facilities at hand and can recover the bloody thing, how will you ever know what your rudder bearings look like or other damage that might exist below the waterline. This is not the time to go "cheap". Don't short change yourself.
Even though you can remove it in the water I have to agree with Ron. I think your H27 is like my H37C, there really isn't a bearing. But there are other things to be checked. You don't say why the rudder needs replacing so it is hard to give further advice.
thanks, the rudder is busted so the only thing left is the pipe the goes up and connects to the wheel, i got another ready to go. i look and it seems to be only a few screws are holding it, so i just need to drop this one and install the other one, but there is always something else so i figure i ask to see there is something i should look for or that i should be aware of, the boat is about 6 miles away from the closes boat yard so i will have to be tow and also pay the boat yard so im trying to avoid all that cost.
thanks for your help everyone.
thanks for your help everyone.
That is a predicament. If your old rudder stock will push out the bottom easily then you should have no trouble installing the new one. Obviously the water has to be deep enough. And you have to know how to get the old one loose. On my boat just two things hold the rudder in place. There is the radial wheel or quadrant if you have a wheel steering boat. And mine has an aluminum collar that rides on a plastic block. That collar has a bolt through it and the shaft.
You will need to drop a line down through the hole to attach to the new rudder stock. That line will have to go inside the new shaft. My rudder stock has a welded in crossbar at the top that I can tie to. If the rudder floats someone will have to go in the water to sink it and guide it into the boat. Might have to do that anyway. On my dock with fifteen feet of water its about a one hour job. Plus the time to center and adjust the steering.
Scroll down in this PDF to see a sketch of the rudder assembly: http://hunter.sailboatowners.com/images/kb/pdf/302.pdf .
You will need to drop a line down through the hole to attach to the new rudder stock. That line will have to go inside the new shaft. My rudder stock has a welded in crossbar at the top that I can tie to. If the rudder floats someone will have to go in the water to sink it and guide it into the boat. Might have to do that anyway. On my dock with fifteen feet of water its about a one hour job. Plus the time to center and adjust the steering.
Scroll down in this PDF to see a sketch of the rudder assembly: http://hunter.sailboatowners.com/images/kb/pdf/302.pdf .
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