[Public-list] crooked rudder

[Pete]

On Tuesday 06 June 2006 02:27 pm, Roger L Kingsland wrote:
Roger,

Do you have a picture of your rudder.  My boat is also a 1966 and i am curious 
as to how much our rudders differ.

Thanks,  Pete H.




> I have an interesting situation on #148 and just recently discovered why. 
> When running straight, the tiller points 10 to 12° to port of center. 
> Everything else in the "steering train" seems OK except, for a few months
> after I hauled the boat, I noticed moisture seeping from the leading edge
> of the rudder about 8 inches from the top.  I don't recall any excessive
> play when I sailed the boat, even in high winds.
>
> I contacted the previous owner who contacted his stepfather who gave him
> the boat.  Apparently the boat was carried onto a granite riprap wall by
> storm surge during a storm in New London, Connecticut.  She was left high
> and dry 12 feet above the water and lifted off with a crane.  The tiller
> has been crooked ever since.
>
> I don't think having a crooked tiller is a big deal and expect, eventually,
> my left arm will grow longer than my right.  It might even be an
> interesting conversation starter; "hey, how come your boat keeps turning
> left when I steer straight."  I am interested in what actually "twisted"
> and if I need to do anything to ensure the rudder won't fail.  There is a
> keyway that holds the tiller bracket on to the top of the rudder shaft so
> the problem isn't that the bracket slipped on the shaft.  It seems the
> remaining options are that the rudder shaft twisted (unlikely?) or the bond
> between the rudder blade and the shaft failed.
>
> I thought of doing some investigative demolition by grinding out the
> leading edge of the rudder down to the shaft.  But, I don't know how the
> rudder is bonded to the shaft or how to fix it if it isn't and don't to
> make things worse.
>
> Another aspect of the rudder that is probably unrelated was noticed by
> Tonwie when I showed him a photograph.  The blade is larger than on other
> Albergs.  The trailing edge extends vertically downward rather than curving
> forward toward the base of the rudder making it about 20% larger than
> stock.  Assuming Whitby didn't make boats with different rudders (148 was
> built in 1966), it appears someone replaced or enlarged the original. 
> Perhaps #148 is the "sport model" with turn-on-a-dime performance.
>
> Anyway, feedback from those with more experience than I (in other words,
> all of you) as to the potential cause of the problem and how to fix it
> would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Roger
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