[C320-list] steering tight - fixed it

[Pat Ireland]

Cherie did not have a bent rudder shaft.

The problem was....a little drum roll here.....a bad bearing!  But you say,
there is no bearing on the rudder shaft.  The design is a straight SST shaft
in a fiberglass tube, with a packing gland at the top of the tube.

What we found was a wrap of plastic tape on the lower section of the rudder
shaft.  The material had torn and bunched up to jam the clearance between
the shaft and the tube.

Now the mystery.  When, where, and why was the tape installed?   The
original and previous owners are not aware of work on the rudder.
Additionally, the shaft to tube clearance is minimal.  Not at all what you
would expect someone would believe needed to be removed by shimming.  It
looks more likely that the tape was installed to improve the shaft bearing
surface by covering some surface roughness on the SST tube.  That might
imply installation at original assembly, but no one is aware of the
practice.

So, bottom line - we are back in the water and ready to sail.

We want to thank the boat yard at Grand Marina.  The team there hauled us,
dropped the rudder, cleaned it up and got us back in the water the same
day.  Sean didn't have any techs who were not committed so he did the work
himself.  A can do team.

And while all this was going on, Roger and Dinah Goodsell stopped by to
check on us.  The Catalina community at Marina Village is a wonderful
support group.  Just like the 320 Association.  Thanks for all your ideas
and suggestions.  We appreciate the help and support.

Pat and Nancy, Cherie, 2001, H801




On Mon, Mar 8, 2010 at 3:49 PM, Pat Ireland <cherie320 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Jeff
>
> That's an explanation that fits the events better than anything, that I
> have been able to come up with.  But then, I'm still in denial.  There are
> some pictures of the rudder from the survey haulout.  I'll see if I've got
> any detail of the leading edge area.
>
> Thanks
>
> Pat
>
>   On Mon, Mar 8, 2010 at 1:15 PM, Jeff Hare <catalina at thehares.com> wrote:
>
>> If the upper trailing edge of the rudder isn't touching the hull the shaft
>> is probably not bent.  Just in front of the leading edge of the rudder is
>> sometimes a metal pin hanging down to guide floating line/kelp away from
>> that gap between the rudder and the hull.  Maybe a chunk of line got stuck
>> there and the prop snagged it?  Could have wedged a chunk of debris from the
>> line in there?
>>
>> Would be good to have the diver carefully check the place where the rudder
>> post goes up to see if there isn't something jammed between the top of the
>> rudder and the hull.
>>
>> -Jeff
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Pat Ireland <cherie320 at gmail.com>
>> Date: Mon, 8 Mar 2010 12:43:49
>> To: <C320-List at catalina320.com>
>> Subject: Re: [C320-list] steering tight
>>
>>  Chris
>>
>> We heard a thump, while motoring at 2-3 knots.    The prop and rudder were
>> inspected the following week when our diver cleaned the bottom.  He found
>> no
>> damage, but since then the helm has been tight.
>>
>> Pat
>>
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Mar 8, 2010 at 10:42 AM, Chris Burti <clburti at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> > It takes a lot of force to bend the rather substantial rudder post on
>> > C-320...have had a hard grounding recently or have you been towed
>> backwards
>> > (that is what caused my problem)?
>> >
>> > On Mon, Mar 8, 2010 at 1:12 PM, Pat Ireland <cherie320 at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>> >
>> > > Chris
>> > >
>> > > Well, that may be the problem, the symptoms sound similar.
>> > >
>> > > Pat
>> > > On Mon, Mar 8, 2010 at 5:06 AM, Chris Burti <clburti at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>> > >
>> > > > We also had a bent rudder post...4" out of true at the
>> bottom...tight
>> > > > throughout the range and no way to tell without a haulout
>> > > >
>> > > > On Mon, Mar 8, 2010 at 2:39 AM, Sean Kaldor <spkaldor at yahoo.com>
>> > wrote:
>> > > >
>> > > > > Hi Pat,
>> > > > >
>> > > > > Is Cherie's steering tight throughout the entire range of rudder
>> > swing?
>> > > > If
>> > > > > so, also consider the lubrication of the rudder post in its tube.
>> >  One
>> > > > > idea would be to disconnect the cable from the helm to isolate the
>> > > > rudder...
>> > > > > that will help determine if the tightness is in the rudder, or in
>> the
>> > > > helm
>> > > > > controls.
>> > > > >
>> > > > > If her steering is tight only after a certain degree of turn, it
>> > could
>> > > be
>> > > > > (but is hopefully not) the rudder post. I was looking at a boat
>> > > recently.
>> > > > > Seller said the steering was fine, but recently became a bit
>> 'tight'.
>> > > It
>> > > > > turned fine from about 20 degrees starboard to 20 degrees port,
>> then
>> > > > became
>> > > > > very tight after that. Topside inspection and diver inspection
>> > revealed
>> > > > > nothing. Had to have it hauled to find out that the rudder post
>> was
>> > > bent
>> > > > > very slightly. Hope that isn't the problem...
>> > > > >
>> > > > > Sean
>> > > > > C320 Liberté #499
>> > > > > San Francisco
>> > > > >
>> > > > > - - - - - - -
>> > > > >
>> > > > > All-
>> > > > > The steering on Cherie is very tight.  We are convinced that it
>> was
>> > not
>> > > > > this
>> > > > > tight before and that something has changed.  We inspected the
>> > quadrant
>> > > > and
>> > > > > found no foreign material jamming it.  The turning pulleys are
>> free,
>> > > the
>> > > > > chain and sprocket are free, the autopilot is not dragging, and
>> the
>> > > brake
>> > > > > is
>> > > > > free.  We had a diver check it out several weeks ago and will have
>> > him
>> > > > > check
>> > > > > it again and check specifically for fishing line or other debris.
>> > > > >
>> > > > > Has anyone had a problem with the rudder shaft binding or with any
>> > > other
>> > > > > steering failure that appeared to be a rudder dragging?
>> > > > >
>> > > > > Any experience or ideas would be appreciated.
>> > > > >
>> > > > > Pat Ireland Cherie #801
>> > > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > > --
>> > > > Chris Burti Farmville, NC
>> > > >
>> > >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > --
>> > Chris Burti Farmville, NC
>> >
>>
>
>