How is my rudder assembled?

[mwrohde]

I have damaged my rudder or, more likely, my rudder post. I need to know a bit about how it assembled before I attempt repair.

First, what I did: I was sneaking up to an island (on our lake) to drop an anchor. I got in too close and a wake bounced me a bit and I struck bottom. From that point on I can't cross center without the top aft portion of the rudder binding against the hull.

So, I've either bent the rudder post or jammed the rudder post strait up (can this be done, even?)

The boat has wheel steering (Cal 3-27).

So, on to what I can see inside. From the hull up -
There is a fiberglass stand about a foot tall through which the rudder post passes through the hull.

On top of that is a packing gland of some type. It appears to be two circles - upper and lower, bolted together. The packing is inside/between the two. The rudder post passes through them.

Above the packing is a large disk. This disk is what transfers the instruction from the wheel to the rudder post. It is about an inch thick, but a foot in diameter. There is a cable running around the perimeter of this disk, past some pulleys, up to the wheel. The disk appears to be two semi-circles bolted together. It is my guess that this is what prevents the rudder from slipping strait through the hull into the lake. Am I right?

If there is play in the system for this I'd like to lower my rudder post about 1/8" to 1/4". That is all I need for the rudder to clear the hull again and get me back to sailing.

Can I do this? Is it advisable?

Thanks for carrying me along as I learn how much fun it is to fix my f-ups,

Matt

[Freesail99]

Matt,
If the shaft that comes up from the rudder comes up into those two semi-circles and is held in place with a large nut, look to see if you bent the metal. That may be your problem. You could have also have bent the rudder post or shaft where it comes out of the rudder.

Paul

[mwrohde]

Originally Posted by Freesail99

Matt,
If the shaft that comes up from the rudder comes up into those two semi-circles and is held in place with a large nut, look to see if you bent the metal. That may be your problem. You could have also have bent the rudder post or shaft where it comes out of the rudder.
Paul

Bent what metal? The rudder post inside the boat? Or, the two semi-circles? When you say I may have bent the shaft where it comes out of the rudder you mean in the water, below the hull? The gap between the top of the rudder and the bottom of the hull is a small fraction of an inch. Is that where you mean?

I see no large nut. Every thing I see the rudder post passes through. It passes through the fiberglass stand, the two-part packing whatever (sorry), and the metal disk that the wheel control wire goes around (sorry again). The post then extend up into the aft cockpit seat where an emergency tiller can be inserted.

[Freesail99]

First, check where the rudder shaft "hangs" from. There should be a large nut holding it in place. See if anything has been damaged.
That nut should be where emergency tiller can be inserted and what it connects to.
And yes below the water line, check to see if the shaft or the angle in which the rudder shaft comes out of the rudder has changed or if there is damage.