Bent Rudder Posts

[GJL]

Need Help.
Have an 1988, E26. Rudder and post have been bent aftwards about an inch or more. Cannot turn wheel helm from stop to stop.

Questions:

- if rudder is dropped and taken to machine shop, can the post be bent back into true position without losing the strength integrity of the post at the bend point.

- is the rudder post a solid bar or is it a tube.

- anything else we should be worried about? Like the rudder itself (water intrusion), bearings, etc?

thanks GL

 

[Geoff Johnson]

I can answer based only on my 1985 32-3. The post is a tube; it is not solid. The tube has three or four tangs welded to its lower half, which is embedded in high density foam covered by a thin fiberglass skin. When the tube was bent, it almost certainly broke the tenuous bond between the tube and the rudder skin which will allow water to infiltrate creating the danger of corrosion, particularly at the welds for the tangs. So, assuming you can find someone to to straighten the tube without damaging the fiberglass or putting a crimp in the tube, you should take care to reseal the tube/skin interface with 5200 and make sure the tube and tangs have not loosened inside the rudder.

 

[Robert Mann]

My 1988 E26 has a tube for the ruuder post.

There were several email strings on the subject of rudder repair following water ingress on the Ericson list on Sailnet. I think one of these described the attachment method of the foam core to the post. These emails were last year if my memory serves me correctly.

Foss Co in California made the rudder their phone number is
949-646-0244 they might have some words of wisdom on the subject.

Robert Mann
Wind Warrior, 1988 E26

 

[GJL]

Thanks for help Team.

- we pulled the boat, saw the rudder bent aft about an inch + off true.

- put a ratchet come-along on it and bent it back into position.
- should last for rest of fresh water season in this area.
- not going to mess with water intrusion remedy, will replace rudder during pull out in fall, along with cutlass bearing.

- appreciate tips, and possible replacement solution.

thanks gl