[Rhodes22-list] Rudder problems

[Bill Berner]

The bread of the rudder sandwich is called the casing. The rudder, tiller,
and spacers make up the meat.

Are you sure your rudder casing is aluminum.

I became much more familiar with mine this Spring than I had ever hoped to,
and it is made of 1/2" sheet PVC. It's a medium grey plastic material.  The
spacers are teak on mine.

You very well might need some sort of additional spacers if the teak has
shrunk down to less than the thickness of the rudder &/or tiller.  I had
this problem when I sanded and then Varnished my spacers, after building a
new casing.  My boat club managed to destroy my old one, while the boat was
on the trailer early this spring.

I've been messing with adjusting the tightness of the various bolts on mine
to try to get the right amount of free fall/tension on my rudder and tiller.

Washers between the casing and the spacers should work fine, as well. If the
casing is indeed aluminum, just use some, Roger help me here, dielectric
greasw(?) between the casing and the washers.  I seem to recall using
something that I think was called Tek-Gel when mating two different types of
metal to avoid galvanic corrosion.

BB

Bill Berner
191 South Broadway
Hastings on Hudson, NY  10706
 
v 914 478 2896
f 914 478 3856
e BBerner at optonline.net
 

-----Original Message-----
From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org
[mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On Behalf Of Saroj
Sent: Saturday, May 31, 2003 9:10 PM
To: The Rhodes 22 mail list
Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Rudder problems

Well, my boat finally was launched on Friday with new bottom paint and other
minor repairs completed.  I have two problems with the rudder.  It does not
swivel any longer.  I loosened every bolt and finally took some out
altogether.  It appears that either the bottom piece is warped or the pieces
of wood that act as separators for the aluminum housing have shrunk to a
size smaller than the part that can be raised.  (I hope someone can tell me
the proper names for these things).  I thought I could perhaps insert a
washer between the wood spacer and the aluminum part, but what about two
different types of metal touching.  I also considered fiberglassing the wood
which would add thickness and also make it waterproof.  Or I could cut more
pieces of wood slightly larger thus providing more space.  Any ideas?  

Also there are small openings inside the holes where the line goes to pull
up on the rudder.  Water pours out of these after it has been in the water.
Can't be good for it to get all that water in there.  Should I fill these
openings with epoxy filler to keep the water out?

I'm eager to sail (if it ever stops raining here), but can't until the
rudder can be swiveled.  

Hoping to get this fixed by Thursday to go out over the weekend on the boat.

Saroj
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