Stiff Rudder on C&C32

[MartinHodgkinson]

I bought my 1983 C&C32 a four years ago. The wheel steering has always been really stiff. I have fixed the Edson brake so that is not the problem. I have also adjusted the cable tension and that seems to make no difference. There is grease in the screw-in holder that lubricates the rudder post. I have tested using the emergency tiller and it is pretty well impossible to move the rudder with the emergency tiller.

Any ideas? I'm not sure what else I can adjust to fix the problem.

 

[alexco38]

Bend shaft?
Auto pilot malfunction?

 

[MartinHodgkinson]

Suggestion follow-up

Bend shaft?
Auto pilot malfunction?

Bent shaft is possible - but I think that to bend the shft would require a heavy impact which would also cause some other damage (which I can see no evidence for).

Auto pilot is disconnected completely - and the problem seems to be restricted to the actual rudder shaft (cannot even turn the shaft easily with the emergency tiller)

 

[jasrclark]

I don't know if you solved your problem, however, here's another possibility. I suffer with a stiff rudder for 8 months after the purchase of a 1988 C30. The PO said it had been that way since new. Well I had the boat yard drop the rudder during bottom paint time and it took two large guys to twist and pull the rudder down. Once out and looking up the rudder shaft, it was jammed with hardened grease. They cleaned the shaft out and reassembled with astounding results. Catalina Yachts say there should be no grease in the shaft. Boat now steers as it should.