Water in emergency tiller tube

[Jules Robinson]

Hello,> > I have an oday 39 and recently noticed water inside of the emergency tiller> tube.> > The cap is a round block of wood that is attached on deck with two screws and> obviously not designed to keep water out.> > The emergency tiller tube appears to be aluminum inside of a fiberglass column> from the quadrant to the deck. Does this mean there is also water in my rudder post or is that sealed off ?> > Is this something that needs attention ?> > Perhaps dry it out and seal it off ?> > Thanks,> > Jules

 

[Phil MacGregor]

Emergency rudder access

Hi Jules,I have an O'day 30 and the emergency rudder access is a plastic cover with a threaded lid. It is surface mounted to the deck and is about 1/4" in height. I am sure you could buy one at West Marine or similar shop. Last summer we were sailing into Rock Harbor on Isle Royale (Lake Superior) with just the head sail half furled in and the deck rail almost in the water when one of the stearing cables parted. The boat immediatly rounded into the wind and all aboard were suprised by how fast things happen on there own. I quickly dug the emergency tiller out of the lazerett, removed the screw in access cap while my wife and son tended to the flogging sail. Control of the boat was recovered but it took considerable force on the short tiller to stear the boat.  I would not cover the tiller access so it was not usable. Things sometimes happen and when they do you will porbably not be expecting them. It would be worth your time to try the emergency tiller just to see how it works, how it feels and to know that you would not want to go any farther than you had to with this method of stearage. Three months til the boat floats again,  Phil

 

[Jules Robinson]

Hi Phil,I guess I was not clear on my original post.I would not seal off the deck access to the tubebut I have read that people have plugged the top of the tube below deck so water can't go down it.However I like your idea of the round access plate of which I looked some up in the west marine catalog and I think it should not be too much trouble to install one over the opening.thanks so much for your reply.Jules

 

[Jack]

ODAY 39 rudder

I have a 1984 ODAY 39. I have the same teak cover which is not waterproof. A previous owner has applied foam to seal off the tube a few inches down. Hopefully this is keeping water out of the rudder. I had to repair my rudder last winter and discovered that it is filled with a special type of foam. I ignored the warnings about not painting the rudder a dark color or covering it. A few spring days in the sun caused some impressive blisters.