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Rudder Play

M

milagros

Paul Wernquist
I have sailed a Morgan 32-3 for the past several years. It is a
Brewer design very similar in construction and other details to
the Brewer designed 38s. I have a question that I hope you can
help me with. Recently the boat had developed play in the
rudder such that it thumps in certain sea conditions. On
inspection of the steering gear and rudder shaft, it appears
that the rudder and shaft can move vertically. Usually the
rudder and shaft are in the up-position, but can drop under
pressure about 0.5 inches until the steering quadrant hits the
top of the packing nut, causing a thump. It appears as though
the rudder actually floats in the up-position but can drop
causing the thump. Have any of you observed this in a Morgan
38? How can I eliminate this vertical movement?
 
I can not understand why the rudder would float up. All of the weight of the rudder and post push the rudder down. I would say the rudder post packing is too loose and the nut not tight enough.
 
I have had this problem combined with play between the lower gudgeon and pintel. The latteral play is not an issue I am told. Before I was told is was normal, I took off the rudder at great expense and machined a delrin bushing with a boss at one end to also stop the vertical play you describe. Everything is better now except my wallet. You might build a collar and split it and reattach it around the rudder shaft to take up the vertical play.
 
<div>I approached the vertical play problem in my rudder by having some big nylon washers manufactured by a local plastics shop, some to 1/4" and some to about 1/8" thickness. The 1/4" did not allow sufficient bending to work. At 1/8" thickness they were forgiving enough to allow them to open sufficiently to go around the rudder post. I was able to slip in about four of these over post at the the top of the rudder to take up the play. After they had been in salt water a few months they lost their elasticity and became quite solid but not brittle. I think I spent about $30 on 12 of these, the cost was in the mold set-up. Gave the rest to a fellow 382 owner to did the same with his boat. We are having no problem since with vertical rudder play, not too hi tech, but it appears to have worked.Fred
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The rudder floats because it is filled with foam. If it were solid fiberglass it would be way to heavy. I have not had this problem on my morgan38-3, but i did put derlin rings around the shaft on a Newport 27 I owned in the 1980's. They work.
 
you stated tat lateral play is not important. this is of interest to me in that i have about a quarter inch of lateral movement in my rudder which appears to be due to wear in the lower rudder bearing. am i worrying about nothing?

 
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