Water in the Keel

[pjacobs55]

Dang, I must be facing south today!
"A small drain screw, below the bilge drain plug on the outside starboard side,"
should also read "port side".

Peter
#1331 'Sin Tacha'

 

[TJBurkett]

I've got a 1969 series I as well. Several years ago while backing into my slip I lost all rudder control- luckily not hitting anything in the process. The next day I took her out of the slip and found that she would turn to one direction but not the other and that the rudder felt"funny". I hauled her out and found a gaping crack on the leading edge of the rudder and the stock just rotating inside the rudder without any effect. Thankfully it was late November and about time to put the boat away anyway.

I pulled the rudder, cut it open and found the tangs that were welded to the rudder shaft had all broken-long story short- I built a new rudder with extra tangs welded on. It's not a particullary bad job, but it does take some time.

Unfortuentely you really can't tell how bad the situation is until you cut it open-unless you have access to an X-ray machine.

Hope this helps,

Tom

 

[Vega1447]

I take my hat off to any Vega sailor that can reverse into a slip.

John V1447 Breakaway

John Kinsella
Mathematics and Statistics Dept
University of Limerick

Phone 0035361202148
Web jkcray.maths.ul.ie

 

[TJBurkett]

Hi John,

Although effective I think my technique may have contributed to the rudder failure-or at least made it apparent-which i guess is a good thing as I am glad it happened at the dock instead of on a cruise.

What I do is get the boat moving in reverse outside the fairway-the boat is actually quite responsive when moving backward at several knots, just don't let go of the rudder

Tom

 

[schult.cindy]

I am impressed.

 

[schult.cindy]

And thanks for your help.