Creealock 37 rudder

[brokesailor]

What is the piece that seems to be bolted to the bottom of the rudder. It almost looks like it is made out of zinc. It has bolts going thru it. What's it's purpose, what's it made of. I saw one Crealock 37 with a zinc attaced t one side of it. On my crealock the remnants of what appears to be 2 zincs are hanging off of it.

[orientalnc2010]

That is your manganese bronze gudgeon. It's purpose it to keep your rudder from falling out of your boat! The rudder shaft rests in it and pivots in it.
The bolts that hold it on the skeg are silicon bronze, the rudder shaft is stainless steel and the gudgeon is manganese bronze so you have a zinc attached to prevent the least noble metal from sacrificing itself to the more noble metal.
It is a wonderfully overbuilt to survive a grounding but not neglect.
My advice is to get a new zinc on that bad boy ASAP.

[brokesailor]

How do I attach a zinc to the gudgeon. What hardware should I use? Pre drill?

[orientalnc2010]

Originally Posted by brokesailor

How do I attach a zinc to the gudgeon. What hardware should I use? Pre drill?

My zinc is attached with slotted flat head screws. Remove the old screws and use them to attach the new zinc. My zinc is an Electroguard #7 PMI.

[brokesailor]

Can't do that. One screw is missing, the other one sheared off with one piece inside gudgeon

[Lansdowne]

If you go slow, and are handy with a drill, you can buy a "easy out" at the hardware store. You size it to the bolt you are removing.
Drill the center of the sheared bolt, insert the "easy out" spray release on the bolt, have lunch, come back and very gently crank out the sheared bolt by turning on the easy out.
Two new screws or bolts and your jake...

[Lansdowne]

Alone those lines, while you are getting to installing a new zinc, you should buy one of those zincs that have a clamp and wire. Clamp to rigging and throw overboard so it hangs by your rudder. You don't want rudder hardware melting away while you get to replacing your mounted zinc's.