[C320-list] Rudder

[Chris Burti]

We just suffered a hard grounding in the Alligator River on our way up to the Chesapeake. Bent the rudder, prop and shaft bent. The aft top edge of the rudder was pushed up against the hull making steering difficult, but possible.

We hauled in Belhaven, NC. Prop shop straightened the prop, machine shop straightened the rudder and we are waiting for the new shaft to come in.

Thanks,
Chris Burti

-----Original Message-----
From: "Dprudden" <dprudden at comcast.net>
Sent: ‎6/‎7/‎2015 12:07 PM
To: "c320-list at lists.catalina320.com" <c320-list at lists.catalina320.com>
Subject: [C320-list] Rudder

This is going to be expensive...

Launched the boat yesterday. No problems at all. It was too windy in the harbor I launched at to fully rig, so we motored the 7 miles up Buzzards Bay to the river where my mooring is. The tide was still falling a little so the pennant and pick up were setting down river with the current, so I passed the mooring on my port side, went past it about 20 yards, turned hard to port to approach the pick up heading upstream.....bang! The rudder hit something in the water. I was doing about 2.5 kts with the current. I tried to turn the wheel to straighten the rudder but I got resistance and a small grinding noise and a loose wheel. No helm at all. A passerby helped us to the mooring. Yes the cables are off but that's not the biggest issue. I tried the emergency tiller to at least straighten the rudder out but the rudder won't budge. I bent the tiller trying. I turned hard to port to approach the mooring, which means the leading edge of the rudder was on the starboard side. The rudder is stuck 180 degrees from where I hit something....the leading edge is facing port. My first thought before seeing how the rudder was facing was a bent shaft, but not with it facing backwards to how I had it. There isn't any damage to the rudder - one very small scratch in the paint (I dove under the boat.....cold water!).
In striking something, could the impact have turned the rudder. 180 degrees without swimming the wheel? Any ideas how to get the rudder loose?

Thanks,
David Prudden
#787

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