For lack of the correct jargon, I have a through-hull rudder, (doesn't hang off the back with pindles & gugeons). It bangs slightly back and forth inside the fiberglass tube that most likely over the years has worn out, can anyone recommend what I could use to add to the inside making up for the space. I heard someone else with the same problem used some sort of nylon or teflon sheath placed over the tubing attached to the rudder that slips well inside the through-hull tube, any ideas appreciated.
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You have an interesting
problem but more imformation will be needed before you can get good answers. Bangs slightly back and forth in the tube. Could you be a little more difinitive? some quantitative discription of slightly would be nice. Slightly to you might be "ohmygawd" to someone else. about how long is the tube and rudder shaft in question? Is there a packing gland at the top of the tube?
problem but more imformation will be needed before you can get good answers. Bangs slightly back and forth in the tube. Could you be a little more difinitive? some quantitative discription of slightly would be nice. Slightly to you might be "ohmygawd" to someone else. about how long is the tube and rudder shaft in question? Is there a packing gland at the top of the tube?
More info
What's the make and model of the boat? Nylon, teflon or delrin can be machined into a bushing that fits around your rudder post or inside of your stern tube. It depends on what you have. To get the most out of this forum you have to be as specific as possible.
What's the make and model of the boat? Nylon, teflon or delrin can be machined into a bushing that fits around your rudder post or inside of your stern tube. It depends on what you have. To get the most out of this forum you have to be as specific as possible.
The tube inside the stern tube (stainless steel tube attached to the rudder) is 34" long, the boat is a 1976 Hunter 25, Cherubini Class, there is no packing gland as far as I can tell. My definition of "slightly back and forth" is on occassion (depending of the boat speed, current, direction etc.) the rudder can move approximately a 1/16 of an inch. I have inspected the stern tube, no visible damage, however 30 some odd years of use I imagine will wear some of the surrounding fiberglass out. I dropped the rudder today, (had to dig a hole underneath it as the 5' off the ground hull wasn't enough room to pull it out of the tube. I observed that the stainless steel was a bit scratched from use. Thats all I have, there is no more!
That helps.
The 1/16 inch play in the tube would be difficult to take up with a bushing. It would only allow 1/32 inches on a side. Posibly some manner of hard wax could be melted and injected into the assembled system. There are almost as many grades of wax as of plastic and you could be hard pressed to be sure which was which in some grades. Edited to add: I just remembered that I once bought some UHMW plastic with an adhesive backing. I have used it on the sole of my power saw and on other items that needed a low friction surface layer. I found the remains of the roll It is about three inches wide and is .025 inches thick. This would serve to take up the slack in the tube greatly reduce friction and it costs about 10 bucks for a three foot roll from any woodworker supply catalog.
The 1/16 inch play in the tube would be difficult to take up with a bushing. It would only allow 1/32 inches on a side. Posibly some manner of hard wax could be melted and injected into the assembled system. There are almost as many grades of wax as of plastic and you could be hard pressed to be sure which was which in some grades. Edited to add: I just remembered that I once bought some UHMW plastic with an adhesive backing. I have used it on the sole of my power saw and on other items that needed a low friction surface layer. I found the remains of the roll It is about three inches wide and is .025 inches thick. This would serve to take up the slack in the tube greatly reduce friction and it costs about 10 bucks for a three foot roll from any woodworker supply catalog.
Rudder tube
I have an '81 h25 with very little slop in the rudder tube. I think that at a sixteenth of slop I would feel compelled to to address the problem, and I like the wax solution very much. You can find some very hard sculptors' wax out there(dark brown) which you could apply warm and mushy to the steel, work the post into the tube and let friction seat the material. Easy to install, easy to seat, easy to renew, non reactive to salt water and non destructive to existing material. Thanks, Ross.
I have an '81 h25 with very little slop in the rudder tube. I think that at a sixteenth of slop I would feel compelled to to address the problem, and I like the wax solution very much. You can find some very hard sculptors' wax out there(dark brown) which you could apply warm and mushy to the steel, work the post into the tube and let friction seat the material. Easy to install, easy to seat, easy to renew, non reactive to salt water and non destructive to existing material. Thanks, Ross.
How about epoxy?
Or, you could partially re-install the rudder post, after liberally coating with bowling alley wax, and pour unthickened epoxy into the breach. Of course you'll need to block off the bottom of the tube and center the post somehow. Just a thought. Larry Wilson
Or, you could partially re-install the rudder post, after liberally coating with bowling alley wax, and pour unthickened epoxy into the breach. Of course you'll need to block off the bottom of the tube and center the post somehow. Just a thought. Larry Wilson
Epoxy with graphite additive
can be injected in place for this purpose. West systems describes it as I remember it anyway.
can be injected in place for this purpose. West systems describes it as I remember it anyway.
I Have
heard of people using large plastic soda bottle, cutting the bottom and top off and put a single slice up the side. Now fit that peice so that it wraps around the rudder post one time without overlapping. This will take up any play in the post and tube. While I never did this technique, many owners of Cal boats have done this with great, long term success. Greg
heard of people using large plastic soda bottle, cutting the bottom and top off and put a single slice up the side. Now fit that peice so that it wraps around the rudder post one time without overlapping. This will take up any play in the post and tube. While I never did this technique, many owners of Cal boats have done this with great, long term success. Greg
NY Sail the large soda bottle
would be just as good as the UHMW plastic the I suggested earlier. Since these things tend to be very low speed, water cooled shafts that probably don't accumulate the equivilant of 500 full turns per year durability would not be a big problem.
would be just as good as the UHMW plastic the I suggested earlier. Since these things tend to be very low speed, water cooled shafts that probably don't accumulate the equivilant of 500 full turns per year durability would not be a big problem.
Graphite Epoxy 'Sleeve'
Check out the West System Epoxy book for the means of injecting a mixture of epoxy and graphite to create a new bearing surface. You will need to coat the stainless steel rudder pipe with wax or some kind of release agent to form a tight sleeve but not bond to the Stainless steel.
Check out the West System Epoxy book for the means of injecting a mixture of epoxy and graphite to create a new bearing surface. You will need to coat the stainless steel rudder pipe with wax or some kind of release agent to form a tight sleeve but not bond to the Stainless steel.
Hmmm, according to Ameribiritalia...
...he owns a 1976 Hunter 25. Last I heard they were still building boats. If Hunter doesn't support all their boats... then I'm glad I am a Catalina owner. Hunter may not have a part but they might have found a solution to the problem after 30 years. So, since no one else will, I'll advise Ameribritalia to call customer service at Hunter before he starts pouring anything down his rudder shaft. Here's a link to Hunter Marine tech service that may help. Now, if Hunter customer service blows you off, then that would be an even better topic to discuss than this one.
...he owns a 1976 Hunter 25. Last I heard they were still building boats. If Hunter doesn't support all their boats... then I'm glad I am a Catalina owner. Hunter may not have a part but they might have found a solution to the problem after 30 years. So, since no one else will, I'll advise Ameribritalia to call customer service at Hunter before he starts pouring anything down his rudder shaft. Here's a link to Hunter Marine tech service that may help. Now, if Hunter customer service blows you off, then that would be an even better topic to discuss than this one.
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