Important Lessen Learned, Tiller to Wheel Conversion

[Dileo]

I bought a used Pearson 30 several years ago, that had the wheel conversion. Since they originally came with the tiller, the rudder tube simply went from the bottom of the hull, through the cockpit sole to the tiller post. With the wheel steering, they had to cut this tube apart, in order to put the quadrant on there, along with the packing gland for what is now the "lower rudder tube".

Because there was some unknown water intrusion into the balsa core of the cockpit sole, this upper rudder tube broke free of the glass around the cockpit sole and with this added play, completely separated the sleeve and bushing in the "lower rudder tube" until there was several inches of play and chunks of glass removed from the bottom of the hull around the rudder.

It's fixed now (thank you guys at Marina Shipyard), but, lesson learned, aside from the obvious check of the rudder bushings, carefully inspect the glass around the rudder posts to make sure it is SOUND!