Rudder Post Corrosion

[Beloh]

I just had a diver check and clean the hull. He replaced the anodes and while he was down he noticed corrosion on the rudder at the post (the picture shows it better than I can describe.) This wasn't there last time he dove (6 months ago.) Is there any grounding wire/attachment between the rudder and the hull that could be disconnected? Anything else that might be causing this? I'm planning on a spring haul out but will have it checked again in a few months. It's on an E26-2 with tiller steering.

 

[Alan Gomes]

Is there any grounding wire/attachment between the rudder and the hull that could be disconnected?

Nope.

 

[Loren Beach]

I wonder how long it might have been since a whole tube of grease was gunned into the rudder tube? There could/should be a couple of factory zerk's (edit - just changed to override autocorrect) inside, accessible with some contortions.
Some of that grease would be forced down by the movement of the post, and might ordinarily coat the top bit of the exposed post. I would guess.

 

[Alan Gomes]

There could/should be a couple of factory zinc's inside, accessible with some contortions.

What zincs do you have in mind, Loren? I've removed my rudder several times and I haven't seen any zincs in there. Nor can I imagine where they could be.

 

[Loren Beach]

For sure my guess might be wrong, and that's why I included a weasel word. There are several of those little grease fittings on the rudder tubes on larger Ericson's and my Olson.
Maybe the factory did not do that for the smaller design?
Anyhow, you'd know!

 

[Kenneth K]

I think Loren meant to say zerks, not zincs.

 

[Loren Beach]

What zincs do you have in mind, Loren? I've removed my rudder several times and I haven't seen any zincs in there. Nor can I imagine where they could be.

Well Rats. I typed "zerks" and the auto-correct changed it on the fly.
(Happens in email and texting once in a while, too. Technology is..... a decidedly mixed blessing...)

 

[Alan Gomes]

Well Rats. I typed "zerks" and the auto-correct changed it on the fly.
(Happens in email and texting once in a while, too. Technology is..... a decidedly mixed blessing...)

Yes, "zerks" does indeed make a lot more sense! But granting that the thread started out by asking about a grounding wire and corrosion, I thought maybe you intended to write "zincs"--even though I couldn't figure out how that could make any sense.

As for ZERKS on the E26-2, there is indeed one zerk fitting on the bronze rudder post bearing mounted to the cockpit sole, accessible from the cockpit. But I highly doubt that any significant quantity of grease would find its way from there all the way to the bottom of the rudder tube. But perhaps it could. I make it a practice to drop the rudder occasionally to clean off all the old grease and apply new, so I don't use that zerk fitting anyway.

 

[peaman]

there is indeed one zerk fitting on the bronze rudder post bearing mounted to the cockpit sole

Most of our boats originally had a zerk fitting on the fiberglass sleeve which comes up from the lower bearing. after three or four decades, some of those fittings have all but disappeared. But a new stainless zerk can be installed pretty easily as explained in other threads. That's where grease would be injected as Loren alluded.

 

[Alan Gomes]

Most of our boats originally had a zerk fitting on the fiberglass sleeve which comes up from the lower bearing. after three or four decades, some of those fittings have all but disappeared. But a new stainless zerk can be installed pretty easily as explained in other threads. That's where grease would be injected as Loren alluded.

Right. I have observed that to be the case based on pictures of other Ericson models posted on this forum. On the E26-2--or at least on mine--there is only a single zerk mounted on the bronze bearing. But then, there is some variability on how these boats were constructed, so I wouldn't be surprised if some E26's had them mounted on the fiberglass rudder tube as well.

 

[Alan Gomes]

Oh, and I should add that the E26-2 has no lower bearing--yet another apparent difference.

 

[KS Dave]

On the E26-2--or at least on mine--there is only a single zerk mounted on the bronze bearing. But then, there is some variability on how these boats were constructed, so I wouldn't be surprised if some E26's had them mounted on the fiberglass rudder tube as well.

Mine does have it on the lower tube. But like others, mine rusted itself closed and is unusable. Maybe I'll fix it on this haul-out. But, there's so many other projects, too...