[Rhodes22-list] another rudder problem

[Saroj]

Oh, boy, that had to give you a BIG adrenaline rush!..I nearly lost my
entire rudder assembly in 100+ feet of water 2 years ago.  Ironically enuf
there were 3 such incidents around that time reported on the list.  Seems
that the stopper thingy - kind of a spring stopper with a bend in it
supposed to catch the matching groove in the pinion - gets sprung over years
and barely holds (if at all).  A surge will push the pinions out of the
gudgeons.

Stan suggested to us to put a hose clamp on the end of the pinion which I do
faithfully.  I think it can go on either the top or the bottom pinion.

I supposed losing the rudder assembly in 100' isn't much different than
losing it in 20' other than the fact that it would be a little more
retrievable.  I had to figure out how to dock solo under power REAL quick as
my cousin (first time out sailing) was desparately hanging on to the rudder.
I sailed with the rudder tethered to the stern rail for a few months after
that.

Saroj

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <SVTRITON at aol.com>
To: <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Sent: Monday, June 02, 2003 8:49 AM
Subject: [Rhodes22-list] another rudder problem


> hi all
> while sailing this weekend..(not yesterday winds were 25-35 in baltimore)
i
> suddenly developed a great resistence in the tiller and a loss of
control...i
> turned around and saw that my rudder had popped up....the stopper thingy
had
> released...i was not aground and was doing about six knots on a beat,
crossing a
> power boat wake....i reset the rudder pushing the stopper thingy back in
but
> it popped out again...this happened about 4 times so i just tied the
rudder to
> the tiller to keep it down...my question is do i have to get a new stopper
> thingy or does it adjust in some way???
> thanks for the help....o i used my ups on friday in about 10 knots of
> wind..on a broad reach...worked like a charm..but i found out that when
the wind dies
> the ups doesnt help much
> best
> tom
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