I need to replace my rudder bearing and thus drop the rudder this Spring. It looks like the rudder tube is only goes a few feet between the hull and cockpit floor, and the rudder is more than a foot off the ground already, so, do I just need to dig a foot or so down? That seems just too simple is why I ask. Anyone drop an E35-3 rudder on the hard here? Not obvious how far to dig looking in older threads.
Also, while checking out the tube, there seems to be about a 1/2 quart of yellow epoxy blotched on to the forward lower part of the rudder tube, perhaps where a zerk use to be? There's no glass in the epoxy (its almost clear) so I am very curious why a PO (obviously not the work of a pro) would have globbed it on so thick. For a structural fix, it should have been glass taped around the tube and to patch a leaky zerk fitting, just a few tablespoons would do. I'd like to get rid of all that epoxy and check the tube's condition and repair it right if needed but... how to get all that epoxy off? Not like I can (or want) to get a belt sander down there.. can barely get my hand in there.
I don't think that area of the tube is really structural at all, just the bottom part (bearing) gets the side loads from the rudder and the bearing under the cockpit floor takes the opposing load, but I bet it wants to be water-tight. Should I leave this alone and paint it white to not worry about it or chisel away and perhaps cause more damage.. hmm.
Also, while checking out the tube, there seems to be about a 1/2 quart of yellow epoxy blotched on to the forward lower part of the rudder tube, perhaps where a zerk use to be? There's no glass in the epoxy (its almost clear) so I am very curious why a PO (obviously not the work of a pro) would have globbed it on so thick. For a structural fix, it should have been glass taped around the tube and to patch a leaky zerk fitting, just a few tablespoons would do. I'd like to get rid of all that epoxy and check the tube's condition and repair it right if needed but... how to get all that epoxy off? Not like I can (or want) to get a belt sander down there.. can barely get my hand in there.
I don't think that area of the tube is really structural at all, just the bottom part (bearing) gets the side loads from the rudder and the bearing under the cockpit floor takes the opposing load, but I bet it wants to be water-tight. Should I leave this alone and paint it white to not worry about it or chisel away and perhaps cause more damage.. hmm.