[Public-List] More on Rudder Removal Problems

[Michael Taylor]

Having looked again at the rudder and on the archive, it seems I have the variation described by Michael (Grosh).  There are two sections to the rudder post that appear contiguous.  The upper post has 5 slot heads that hold the upper rudder section to the post.  I am wondering what these slot heads are screwed into and how long are the threads?  The upper rudder post is  1 1/4 inches whilst the lower seems to be 1 inch.  I was unable to find the tiller head fitting to measure and now I can't see the top of the rudder post but I think the top of the rudder post is only 1 inch so at some point the post has been turned down.  I am wondering whether the extra 1/4 inch diameter of the rudder post is a reason for the difficulty in removing it.  I don't recall reading anywhere in the archive of a rudder post at 1 1/4 inches (in pre- stuffing box configuration).

The rudder is well and truly wedged in place about 6" below its normal position.  The part of the rudder post that was in the fibreglas tube is scoured on one side and was obviously in close contact with the tube as it passed through.  I'm starting to thing that the post is bent.
I am thinking my best bet is to separate the upper part of the rudder from the post.

As a side issue - something I found a little odd at the top of the rudder post was a 1/2
inch hole drilled 2/3rds of the way through the shaft right where the
key is.  They key securing the tiller head straddles the hole.  One of
the reasons I am removing the rudder is to extend the key-way as the
bottom of it is chopped out due to the hole.  I wonder why this hole
was drilled?  Is this more evidence for a non-standard upper rudder post?

If anyone has any experience in separating the upper rudder post from the rudder I would really appreciate you thoughts.

Thanks 

Mick (#231)






      __________________________________________________________________________________
Win 1 of 4 Sony home entertainment packs thanks to Yahoo!7.
Enter now: http://au.docs.yahoo.com/homepageset/
 1259957553.0