[C320-list] loose rudder post

[bruceheyman at cox.net]

Peter,
I can't answer all of your questions but I know for a fact that there are no rudder bearings.  I have a fax somewhere at the house that I got from Catalina Technical Support her in CA.  It shows that it is just a straight tube of fiberglass with a "no adjustment that I can see" stuffing box on top or the rudder log.
Catalina recommends two possible fixes for excess play.  1) fill the tube with epoxy after coating the post with release and 2) using strips of plastic bottles as shims.  The idea of droping the rudder, slathering up the post with mold release and then trying to thread the post back into the log hoping not to scrape any of the release onto the parts you want the epoxy to bond to or even worse scrape it off the post and have the epoxy bond the the rudder.
I'm not sure what you do with a boat that has no play in the rudder including no ability to turn it!
I'll try to scan the faxes into a file and post on our site.
Bruce
Somerste 671 SoCal
Sent via BlackBerry from Cingular Wireless  

-----Original Message-----
From: "Peter Clancy" <SAILORPETE at msn.com>
Date: Sun, 12 Nov 2006 14:56:26 
To:"C320-List" <c320-list at catalina320.org>
Subject: Re: [C320-list] loose rudder post

Re Rudder Post ........  My 1995 C320 also exhibited a slight bit of play when I pushed it back and forth. I don't think this is significant. We also made a visual check to see if it was in line with the keel (it was) and square to the waterline (appeared to be). I then turned the wheel lock to lock several times while an engineer friend sighted the rudder as it turned from directly behind the boat. We also looked down from the top leading edge of the rudder as it turned. We discovered about 4" of side-to-side movement at the base of the rudder. That is, the 'fulcrum point' at the bottom of the rudder should have remained stationary as the rudder turned. It did not. I don't know if this is normal or whether there is a slight bend or warp somewhere in the rudder post. Any thoughts? Still trying to find out if our boats have a rudder bearing or just a fiberglass shaft in which the rudder turns.

Peter Clancy
AROBAN  C320  #222
Miami, FL
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Jeff Church<mailto:jjemail at comcast.net> 
  To: C320-List<mailto:c320-list at catalina320.org> 
  Sent: Sunday, November 12, 2006 2:17 PM
  Subject: Re: [C320-list] loose rudder post


  Larry,

  Good question. Mine moves maybe 3/32" but I didn't think that was a problem and the Catalina broker's technician told me not to be concerned about it. I checked a few others in the yard. Some have almost no play and some move more than mine. 

  JeffC
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: WindSwept 
    To: C320-List 
    Sent: Sunday, November 12, 2006 12:43 PM
    Subject: Re: [C320-list] loose rudder post


    What is the symptom that indicates a need to shim the rudder post?

    Larry
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: "Chris Burti" <cburti at yahoo.com<mailto:cburti at yahoo.com>>
    To: "C320-List" <c320-list at catalina320.org<mailto:c320-list at catalina320.org>>
    Sent: Friday, November 10, 2006 5:41 AM
    Subject: Re: [C320-list] loose rudder post


    This is essentially the recommended solution often used on older 
    boats...except we used milk bottles or 2 liter soft drink bottles (better 
    price-same properties). My old Cal is still fine and it has been about 5 
    years now since I shimmed her rudder post.

    Chris Burti
    "Commitment"
    Catalina 320, #867,
    Farmville, NC


    ----- Original Message ----
    From: STINKIN GRINGO <bousum at webtv.net<mailto:bousum at webtv.net>>
    To: C320-List <c320-list at catalina320.org<mailto:c320-list at catalina320.org>>
    Sent: Thursday, November 9, 2006 8:06:09 PM
    Subject: Re: [C320-list] loose rudder post


    Today I dropped the rudder 8 inches and put two strips of UHMW tape 1/2"
    wide by 5-6 inches long up the post with the sticky side towards the
    fiberglass . This took out all the slop, time will tell how long it will
    last.It took less than and hour.I was going to machine two thin wall
    bearings and grind out the tube and glue them in . But the shimming
    method was simple so we will give it a whirl, I will let the list know
    how it goes. You can buy UHMW tape at APS. Ken #711 going to vegas
    tomarrow to spend the money I saved.