rudder

I have been considering the purchase of a kick-up rudder from Rudder Craft for my 1974 Ericson 25. I keep the boat on a mooring during the summer, and although the stock rudder does slide up, it still bangs the tiller back and forth with quite some force as the boat yaws and rolls. The...

Two diagrams of Ericson 30 and Ericson 30+ rudders, with dimensions shown. Images compliments of Donald Proul of Foss Company, holders of the original Ericson rudder molds. Please contact Foss at fosscompany@dslextreme.com. ---------------------------------------- Thank you for your interest...

Hi there everyone first post, first major project, Just bought a new-to-me Ericson 34-2, and I'm about to start my first major project on the boat... rebuilding the rudder. Our Ericson has sat on the hard for roughly 3 years and at the time of survey, had very high moisture levels in the...

I bought an E-25CB a while back, and am almost done going through it. It came with an older Evinrude 10HP 2-stroke, but the idea of hauling around a 95# stink bomb on the stern and can of smelly gas in the cockpit is a major turn-off, especially since I will likely only use it for maneuvering...

Hi All, I am a very seasoned sailor, just went from a Bristol Corsair 24 to buying an 1984 Ericson 26-2 sailboat. Great boat but I think the last owner might have lost some of the bushings or a gasket or something because the tiller has about n inch or less of play up and down. When I inspect...

We recently acquired an Ericson 25 which has soft decks and unfortunately not able to restore. We do have parts available if anyone is in need. Centerboard, Rudder, Mast, Boom, Sails, Cushions, etc. If anyone here is interested in purchasing, it would be greatly appreciated. Will certainly help...

I have a 1980 model Ericson 30+ and I have just discovered that a significant leak has developed from the top of the rudder post when the boat is underway. Can anyone tell me if they have taken out a rudder before to repair such a leak? I presume there must be some kind of rubber seal to...

My 1973 E27 is a project. I have a couple of cracks in the rudder and I'm wondering whether it would be a big mistake to put it in the water this weekend and wait until fall to make the needed repairs.

During haul out, I noticed a quarter size hole in luffalee’s rudder apx. 2” behind rudder post on the top edge. There was a small amount of rust stained water just below the surface of the hole, so I drilled some exploratory holes around the area. Of course, the rudder was wet and there was...

Very Subjective question here, but I just purchased a used Martec Elliptical folding prop that was beautifully refurbished at the factory. It fits perfectly on my 3/4" shaft (1970 Ericson 32 w/Atomic 4), but (during dry test fitting) as the blades extend, they hit the rudder and overlap the...

Hello Fellow Ericson Owners! I have owned Seascape, an Ericson 32-3 (vintage 1985) since the fall of 2013. I am in the San Francisco Bay Area and I race and cruise in the bay and in near coastal waters. I have been reading this site for a few years but never really contributed much. I recently...

I discovered I have the original Yacht Specialties Steering Manual, which covers installation, chain, cables, quadrant, stops, Morse cable control head attachments, and so on in detail. YS is long out of business but was the OE manufacturer for many Ericsons. See below. A better version now...

Hello, I have an underused Rudder Craft High Performance Kick Up Rudder for sale. It is taking up space, and I would like to sell it on the cheap. Aside from some minor scratching of the plastic, this rudder is in excellent working condition. Please respond if you would like to see pictures...

In a recent thread in the Design sub-forum there was a discussion regarding the E23 and the E25 rudders. Perhaps some of the year models have rudders made of 9/4 mahogany. I know that my E25 rudder does not; rather, it is constructed in a fashion similar to that of the centerboard - a carbon...

While I'm underway in my E29 it feels like my rudder is sticky. At the dock it feels free and easy but after a particularly big run in front of a twenty knot blow and accompanying seas all of the sudden it feels like something is wrong. Everything looks fine at the top of the rudder post where...

Hey All, I've just purchased our very own 1981 Ericson 25+ in Seward, Alaska. I've had to do some repairs/upgrades (naturally, it's a boat after all!), but I have noticed that rudder is out of alignment for the tiller handle. Is this a major problem? Should I pull the boat out of the water...

Both the rudder post extension and the crossbar are 40" long 1/8th" wall aluminum tubes. The post extension has an outside diameter of 2 and 3/8ths. The crossbar ("tiller") diameter is 1 and 1/2". The slot in the post tube is 6" long, declining in width from 3/4" to 1/2". This rig makes a...

Ok, tomorrow I re-pack the rudder packing gland and would like to do it right. This gland, which may be Yacht Specialties, has four bolts--not three, like the similar Edson model. In this design, both flanges are meant to be installed hard together. There is no adjustment to regulate...

Poor Coffeespoons parted from her mooring and washed up on the beach and lost her rudder. :esad: I can have one made but would love an economically priced used one.

Aloha, OMG, I think I just figured out how to post on here:) I am going to be installing my rudder on my Ericson 23 MK1, 1969 sailboat. The rudder came with the boat although I do not think that it is the original. It weighs a ton! I am in the process of fiberglassing and Q-celling the...

I have an E39 that I bought a year and a half ago and I'm suspicious of the play in the lower gudgeon. At the time that I bought it I had to re-install the rudder and just about everything else... but after getting the rudder on I noticed that it has enough play in it to clunk back and forth...

Folks, I am replacing my crooked and waterlogged rudder on e29 77 and wondering what should be the correct rudder travel (in degrees). Also what is the correct procedure for stuffing box repacking ( assume there is one on e29 right under quadrant)? Cheers, Simon e29 '77

I have a 38-200 that has a very wet rudder, looking into Foss who has the pattern to make another for 1K. Does anybody have recent experience with Foss and the quality of the work they do? Their price seems reasonable the local boat yard wants 3500.00 to fabricate a new one. <?xml:namespace...

Hi all, I'm going through the surveyor's findings and recommendations on a 35-2 I'm considering purchase of, and the survey include the replacement of upper and lower rudder beariings. After speaking with a yard about this, it's clear more information is needed. So, how does one go about...

Howdy Folks: I'm looking for some wisdom. I'm a fairly new owner of a 84' 381 and recently meet a rigger at the boat to tun the rig. I was concerned that the last rigger over tensioned shrouds before water delivery to Texas as she had developed a couple of stress cracks on deck of the...

This picture shows the new rudder that is being built by Dennis Choate's company. I couldn't get to the same angle for the second shot but it still pretty much shows the relative shapes. Dennis' shape is 14" deeper and less of a barn door design. The new one should actually be in the prop...

We have a E-32 with a leaking rudder post. Does anyone have any info on repairing it or know were I might find a manuel? It only leaks while underway but it appers to be a good bit. Thanks for any info.

Ever since we got our E32-3 there has been a salt water leak past the rudder post stuffing box. Lots of salt crystals in the boat. After the last haulout I pumped a ton of grease into the cavity between the rudder post lower bushing and stuffing box. To my pleasant surprise no more leak. The...

I grounded my 91 Ericson 28 (late Pacific Seacraft model) on some rocks and the rudder has been bent out of shape and wont move. The boat is in the water in Nongsa Point Marina, Batam, Indonesia and the nearest lift out is in Singapore. The cost of a tow is scary due to the inter border...

I am curious as to the amount of force it should take to turn the rudder. The boat I have was on the hard when I got it and the rudder was very stiff. Have dropped the rudder and cleaned out alot of old caked grease and debris. Replaced the Rudder packing with new. 1/4" packing was to small, did...

I have a 1980 E38, but a manual from the newer 200 model. The manual says there are two grease fittings on the rudder post, one near the top under the cockpit floor and another where the rudder enters the hull. The top one is easy to spot. However, for the life of me, I cannot find the lower...

I'm trying to make a really good 3D drawing of an e-39 modified rudder and researching what makes a rudder work well in the conditions we experience with this boat. I plan to make a new rudder for my boat this spring and want to have the foam blanks cut on a CNC machine before I take it out of...

I saw the bottom of my 1980 25+ for the first time this weekend. I bought it last year off a mooring and stored it wet last winter. Boat has saildrive and the unit was two or three layers deep in large barnacles. Barnacles had gotten under the rubber collar that is supposed to lie flat and...

Do these need to be tightened?

New rudder for my E26 Mk IV is being built at Foss. I am going to try to put it in without a haul out. Any tips or tricks from those who have done it? Thanks! Tim

I'm looking into installing a below deck autopilot in my E35-3. I'd like to use an Edson tiller arm on the rudder post as the attachment point for the drive, rather than use th quadrant. However, the rudder post has a sleeve, seems to be a dense plastic, that covers it from the lower glassed in...

New owner of Ericson 28. Rudder has high moisture readings on meter. Plan to drill and drain after haul out...any advice? :esad:

Trashed the rudder on a reef. Need replacement. Long shot, but I thought I'd post!

I have a 1972 Ericson 35-2. Does anyone have a good source for a Rudder Bushing. I removed the old bronze bushing. I am installing a new Foss rudder. It looks like the material to use is Vesconite. I can have it machined if I can buy the material somewhere.

I took the cover off to look at the access to the top of the rudder post and saw that there was water in the post to about 18 inches from the top. The cover was very hard to get off and maybe because it's warped. After cleaning the threads it was still very hard to screw down and I couldn't...

It seems early but my local yard is booking winter storage already. This year I want to drop my rudder to overhaul the foil, mechanism, replace my cutlass bearing etc. I know I need to have the boat blocked higher than usual but as I can't get down to her till next week I hoped someone who has...

I cannot get my rudder to fall out no matter what I do....the cockpit plate will not come off and the rudder will not drop.....there is no quadrant or fastener that I am missing is there? does the tube running from the hull to the underside of the cockpit attach to the tiller plate??

I am unable to free my rudder after a sand bar collision that pushed the rudder up to starboard...it slid down about two inches when the tiller was removed but will not drop free. I have exhausted many efforts at wedging but still no luck. Anyone?

I thought I'd share these pics to show the rudder rebuilt with a 6" stretch to the midsection following B.K.'s drawings as best I could in the process. Someday, maybe early next summer, I'll launch and see how she steers.

I've looked for a grease nipple but don't see one. I'm actually kind of surprised because I would have expected one if only to keep water from coming up along the post during heavy seas. -Sven

My previous boat was a C&C 29 with a semi balanced rudder, the E32-3 I have now does not have this feature. Long stretches with just a bit of weather helm in this boat is huge work where as the C&C was like power steering. Has anyone adressed this issue by adding to the leading edge of the...

I AM LOOKING FOR A RUDDER HEAD FOR MY e32-2. ANY IDEAS?

Was at the helm of a friend's Ericson 38 a few days ago (I own a Tayana 37) and kept hearing a clunking sound under my feet, especially if I turned the wheel quickly. I crawled down and looked at the quadrant, which by way of a cursory inspection, looked good and did not appear to be slipping...

Hello everyone, We are in the final stages of our purchase of an Ericson 38. During the survey, the issue of a saturated rudder came up and we found out that Foss Rudder, original builders of the rudders, is still in business in California (not the Florida company) has identical new rudders...

I was at the boat last week and was moving the rudder back and forth, I noticed at about 45 or less deg. The rudder stuck to the bottom of the hull. Is this normal? If not, what needs to be done :esad: you can see in the photo where the rudder sticks, pot side, white marks in bottom paint.

I am the proud new owner of a 1976 E23 MKII. this is my first boat, and I am really excite to take her out. It is currently moored in Saint Helens, though I will be moving it into Portland soon:egrin: She has been well maintained, so the only thing I am really concerned about right now is the...

Hello all, during haul-out I noticed two horizontal cracks on one side of the rudder of my E27. I sanded the cracks only to discover that they are gel coat deep they don't go through the fiberglass layer. This weekend I epoxyed them with the same west system 105/205/406 epoxy that I was using to...

I was wondering if anyone might be able to advise a possible reason / solution to my pretty bad lee helm I've had since owning my Olson 34 even with a full main and 110 jib. One experienced friend has advised that I could alter the rudder - either reduce the size of the leading edge or...

I hit a rock in a Very Remote Area. After trying to get a haul out (not a chance), I finally removed the Rudder with the boat in the water. After removing the two bolts on the tiller, I hammered it out using a 18" piece of PVC pipe (2-3/8") and a piece of wood. The Rudder popped out, and...

Hope Everyone had a nice Thanksgiving! I was hoping that someone would be able to advise me on servicing and maybe removing my rudder. I have a 32-200. When in a following sea the rudder tends to rattle around a bit in the tube, that is what I would like to stop/prevent. I am trying to...

Hi to everyone on this fantastic site.I've been lurking here for a while and have finally found the E27 I was looking for.I'll be taking delivery of her on November 18 and sailing back home to the Keys + - 200nm.She is in great shape for a 74 with a good few upgrades but there is about a...

I just got an answer back from Paul at Foss regarding upgrading Senta's rudder to bigger than IOR specs. He suggested either using Bruce King's modification or a considerably higher aspect ratio rudder that they have installed before on other boats. BK's modified rudder has a larger surface...

My rudder was bent up while tow-boat ripped off cleats and the boat swung aft as it moved. Is there anything between the rudder and hull that I need to loosen or remove to drop the rudder? It is a 1978 sloop.

Hi Ya Gang, Upon haul for what we thought to be a quick bottom job has turned into a bit more of a project. Seems the rudder is oozing water and will need some repairs. :esad: Can anyone offer any tips along the lines of core composition, how you went about this project, easiest way to...

Hey all, I'm interested in putting in a new longer and straighter rudder on my E29. I find that when heeled over and downwind control could be better if the rudder were a bit longer. Maybe I'm wrong but I feel it could be and I've heard the same from other owners. My question is if anyone...

:cool: Hi, My Eboat sufferred a serious failure 3 miles off of MDR yesterday when I heard the outboard rudder bumping around. I still had steering.But the lower bronze gudgeon which is permanently imbedded into "hardened epoxy" in the hull at bottom of transom had broken at the pivot point. The...

We will probably have the larger King-designed rudder fabricated and installed on Senta-II, so this is a curiosity question more than a need-an-answer question. Jessica Watson just had her rudder x-rayed as part of the refit before she tackles the youngest single-handed circumnavigation...

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Last night I was adding grease to zerk(?) fitting on rudder tube. I guess I over filled it as grease worked its way out from under the fiberglass tabing built up around the zerk, not a good thing I suspect. My question will it leak water do I have to reglass- launch in 2 days and many things to...

I need to replace the rudder on my 30 foot ericson 1968 year. Also some fiberglass repair work will have to be done where the bottom bracket was. Does anyone have any experience with this and could direct me to a good boatyard in So. Cal to have this done? Thanks Dan L. Santa Barbara

My 1967 ericson 30 lost the rudder approx 20 miles offshore. I could not retrieve it so lost the support fitting also. We hit nothing and the wind was 18 knots with a 3 to 4 foot swell. I am going to need help replacing this, say where do i find a replacement and how do I rebuild the hull...

I have a new rudder position sensor that came with my new S1 wheel pilot. I already have a sensor so I am selling this one. It plugs directly into the seatalk interface on any Autohelm or Raymarine AP that support Seatalk. Or add a display to use it stand alone. Asking $175 + shipping.

my rudder and post have been off for the winter. my rudder appears to be in good shape. i'm trying to determine if my core is wet. my question is does anyone have a weight for the rudder and post of a 27' tiller steer?

We own a 1988 34. We have substantial wheel pull to port, mostly while motoring, but slight while glide/sailing. Boat is out of the water now, and I have noticed that the aft end of the prop shaft is about 3/4" to starboard of center/line of keel and small rudder skeg. The bronze skeg that...

I finally have the mechanical installation of my RPS complete. I removed the quadrant. This made the installation much easier. In the first photo you see the RPS installed on the bottom of the cockpit sole. The center of the RPS is in line with the center of the rudder post. The arm is...

We have a 1988 E34-2. lots of wheel pull to port while motoring, and much less while "gliding" out of gear and also sailing at speed (while comparing upwind on each tack). Our prop shaft is slightly to starboard, which I understand MAY be the cause form earlier posts (on other size Ericsons)...

1973,e-27:1-Is the rudder post s.s.? 2-Does the rudder post rotate inside a s.s. tube? 3-What lubricant should i use for this post? 4-There seems to be about 1/16" wobble of the post when i grasp the rudder and shake it.does this...

It is probably just a natural flex point ? When we hauled for the MaxProp I noticed a hairline crack in the rudder at the lower end of the rudder post. The same hairline shows up on both sides of the rudder. I was too busy with the prop to do any further investigation but wonder if we...

Has anyone installed an RPS on their 35-3? I am getting ready to do mine(Raymarine) and would appreciate any info and/or photos.

I think almost everyone here who has interacted with Foss has been pretty happy with them ? Because of that I was surprised to come across a negative thread on the SSCA forum: http://tinyurl.com/89ekkh An anomaly ? -Sven

To order a new radial drive wheel for our Ericson 34 1988 I need to have the rudder post size... Can anyone tell me what the post measures? Thanks, Ralph

How do I remove a 1974 ericson rudder ? I have tried and it will only comes down about 2 feet and stops like if somethig was holding it. Thank you for replying.

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Hello, Well for my first project I want to remove the Tiller / Rudder and repaint it. This will be a test run (for doing the entire bottom this spring) and first time using bottom paint for me. I do not know what type of paint is on the bottom currently. (Hey Sven what type of paint is...

What a easy repair on rudder ; having a slight peeling problem about 2 inch square? What type of product do I use ? It's above the water line; do I just sand it off and paint? Thanks Tom

This question is a takeoff from the rudder post/question. I didn’t want to change the subject so I started a new thread. Seth, when in 24-26 knots of wind I had the 3<SUP>rd</SUP> reef in and my 90% jib about 50% rolled up and was still fighting to keep from rounding up into the wind. Loads of...

A year ago I posted a question about what modifications I needed to make to improve the upwind performance of my E35mk11. Seth provided a three point list- -install inner tracks -install a backstay adjuster -lengthen the depth of the E35 rudder to a Cal40 shape. The first two were...

My 1967 Ericson 30 is a great sailing boat but now has been sidelined due to a rudder issue. The location where the rudder post exits the hull is missing one half of a two part casting which clamps and stabilizes the post just before it enters the rudder. The slop is wicked when I grab hold of...

I just purchased a 1986 Ericson 28. I think that I am going to need to add shims to the rudder post, but I am not sure of the procedure. How do I know that this is needed? I can feel the rudder clunking from side to side in wind and waves. Also when sailing downwind in breeze there is lots of...

:confused:Hi, I just pulled my transom hung rudder to paint it. This rudder seems very heavy. I drilled a few holes in it to see if it leaked any water it might have absorbed over the last 30 years but the holes I drilled were all dry and the drilled out material appeared to be wood. I called...

:mad: Well it happened. While out for an extended sail my brother yelled LOG and then BANG!!! Broken rudder. Not only the rudder but also the top casting which includes the top gudgeon and tiller mount. The gudgeon is ok but the tiller mount is shot. We were able to jury rig it and made the 40...

I've been reading some good threads on the rudder bearing and bushing maintenance that some of you have done. It helped me a lot when I dropped the rudder yesterday in the yard to clear the way for the prop shaft to be removed. We dropped it before putting the stands in place, and only had to...

I've heard a couple disparate opinions on repairing a bent rudder stock, and I'd like to see what the fine folks here think. The scenario is a spade rudder with a 1 1/4" stainless pipe rudder stock (1.65" o.d.), bent about 10 degree right where the stock enters the blade. I've heard from...

So what is the technical term for the extension of the rudder shape just above the rudder as it merges into the hull and ends at the transom. It is on some boats.... Ericsons of 1987 vintage for example. I once thought they were "false skegs" but probably not.

Hello All, Currently stripping the bottom on my E38 and was working on the rudder today. I noticed that there is a section, maybe 18" long (vertically) and 12" wide on one side of the rudder that "bounces" when you push on it? The shape of the area is elliptical and when I tap on the area it...

Hello All: OK, so I have finally figured out this boating thing! One does not actually get to do much sailing – it’s all an excuse to have a list of never-ending projects & the joy is in the puttering?! Having overcome recent mechanical woes on Nakesa, we have now determined that our...

Does anyone have experience replacing the rudder packing on an Ericson 34? Did you use 1/4” or 5/16” packing? Can you give any tips on the correct way to replace the packing, step by step? We’ve dropped the rudder 6 inches to add a Teflon shim around the shaft, and we figured we’d add new...

Hi Fellow Ericsons I'm getting a knocking and grinding noise , around the rudder stock area on my 71 E39. But, only when in boat is at anchored or moored in rough weather? I have dived on the rudder and checked for any play where it attaches to the skeg (gugens) . Wondering if it could be in...

Well, today I was able to replace the packing in the E38 rudder. Initially I tried 3/8" but that was too large and the manual called for 1/4" and that was definitely too small. This is beginning to sound like a children's story..... :) Ended up using 5/16" teflon/flax packing. The E38 has a...

Hello All, My rudder on the E38 is dropped and I am replacing the packing since I am in there. What came out looked like 3/8"s, three turns of it. I bought 3/8"s and its just too big. The manual calls for 1/4" but that will definitely be too small. Looks like 5/16"s is the correct product...

Hi I have a question about how much play should be in the rudder shaft and any idea's how to fix it, on my 27 I have about a 1/4 inch Thanks Tim

I moved this out of Zoran,s thread... In other words what keeps the rudder from slipping down until the steering quadrant is touching the packing gland? What part maintains the space that the red arrow is pointing to in the attached picture (which I borrowed from Zoran's posting). Maybe Guy...

Alright then, it's mid-winter here in Boston, wicked cold, but time to start getting my act together for next season ;) Last summer, I had lots of water coming in up the rudder post tube and leaking UNDER the lower rim of the packing gland. This would happen mostly when motoring at 4+ knots, or...

Since it looks like Capain Rob's dream boat deal fell apart, does anyone have a need for an original wood rudder and tiller for a 23-2? I would like to get $200.

I notice my 1980 Hull #3 E 38 rudder turns 1" more to port than it does to starboard. Investigating this, I found a pipe attached to the pedestal base which extends down inside the quadrant which seems to be intentional as a stop to prevent over steering. However, the quadrant comes in...