[Public-list] Shaft Play, Crooked Tiller

[sousa, stephen (ENG)]

Roger,

As for 1/16" of play it is acceptable, there could be two issues #1 the
cutlass bearing has some wear or the other owner replaced the bearing and
the shaft has some wear. Personally, I would run it for a year and see how
much play you have this fall. I would also align the motor/shaft after a few
days in the water, this is an annual event. I generally find that nothing
moves over the winter

The tiller with a key is a newer rudder stock, the older version has a pin
threaded into the rudder cap into the stock to hold everything the cap
straight. When you hold the tiller straight does the rudder also align
straight with the hull? Also as an FYI, the folks at Spartan sell
replacement tiller heads that will fit your rudder stock with key. 

As for construction of the rudder, you have bronze straps welded to the
rudder sock which become glass into the rudder making it a complete unit. I
think Bill Blevins went through this exercise over the last few months he
maybe able to assist with comments.

Regards,
Stephen

-----Original Message-----
From: public-list-bounces at alberg30.org
[mailto:public-list-bounces at alberg30.org] On Behalf Of Roger L. Kingsland
Sent: Tuesday, May 18, 2004 10:12 AM
To: Alberg30
Subject: [Public-list] Shaft Play, Crooked Tiller


Albergers,

When I wiggle my shaft (I'm not even going to touch that one) a get a fair
amount of play (say 1/16" to 1/32").  A few weeks ago I was in a yard w/ two
A30s on the hard and I wiggled their propeller shafts to discover one had a
little less play than mine and the other almost none.  Any thoughts please
on whether not I have a problem and, if so, how to fix it? 

Second and more wierd, when I steer the boat straight, the tiller is about
7% to the left of the center line 9(erhaps the previous owner sailed alot on
port tack and wanted an aseire reach to the tiller).  I originally thought
it would just be a matter of readjusting the tiller attachment to the rudder
shaft (like the handle bars of a bike) but, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO; it looks
like the shaft was actually imbeded in the rudder crooked!  The connection
to the tiller has one of those keyways and rather than being at the top of
the shaft facing forward, the keyway is slightly to port.  When I showed him
pictures, Towney noticed that my rudder is not stock.  Rather than the nice
curve upward to the trailing edge, the bottom is flat and the trailing edge
is almost vertical.  Leads me to believe someone modified/replaced the
rudder to increase the surface area (yes, I know it is not race legal but, I
hope to be able to turn on a dime while crusing).  After pulling her out, I
also noticed water oozing out of the leading edge just aft of the prop .

Short of grinding out the shaft and reglassing it onto the rudder at the
correct angel, I am not sure what to do.  One thought. I have to make a wood
steaming box for the new toe rail.  I could steam and bend the tiller in a
lazy, asymmetrical "S" to "straighten out" the problem.  Might make for good
cockpit cocktail conversation (tripple C).  Plus, I could research obscure
languages for the translation for "crooked stick" and, if one sounded neat,
rename the boat.

I plan to grind out the part where I noticed water oozing just to see what
the problem is.  I will also look for evidence indicating if the rudder is
new or a modified version of the original. Has any one rebuilt a rudder
sufficiently to learn what's inside and how I might fix the problem?  Does
anyone know where I might find a stock rudder?  Are the stealers going to
ever again win the Super Bowl?

Thanks,

Roger Kingsland
Chief Boat Boy
PERFECT intentions, A30 #148
on the hard at N40° 33.945' W79° 51.260'
 
Author's Disclaimer; This email was produced exclusively by the sender and,
in the interest of expediency, without the benefit of editing by others.
The sender, thank goodness, is a much better architect/sailor than
speller/editor and, frankly, constantly laments an obvious flaw in "spell
check," it does not know what the author is thinking.  Please accept the
sender's sincere apologies for any "typos" that may appear in this document.
If present, they are certainly unintended and hopefully do not cloud the
message, or spawn any unnecessary lawsuits.
_______________________________________________
Public-list mailing list
Public-list at alberg30.org http://alberg30.org/mailman/listinfo/public-list

 1084890487.0