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Bent Rudder

Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 5:56 pm
by next exit
Having found Next Exit bouncing off the rocks on the shore, I was sleeping peacefully on board till then, I now have a bent rudder and once back in Fl will need to have straightened so any advice would be most appreciated.

Re: Bent Rudder

Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 6:17 pm
by eepstein
Ouch! I feel for you. I bent both rudders in late 2008.

Here is the link to the PDQ Forum posting - viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1632&p=5261#p5261
It describes the idea we came up with to use a come-along to crank the rudders back in place. Sandy also had a bent rudder and his needed more creativity. But he and James figured it out.

Prior to the idea of using the come-along, a contractor at the marina gave me a quote to 1) lift the boat, 2) remove the rudder, 3) heat and bend the shaft, 3) remount the rudder, for $3,500 per rudder.

Hope this is useful. Obviously the experts are Sandy and James.

Good luck and please let us know if you come up with a unique solution.

Eric

Re: Bent Rudder

Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 10:20 pm
by Page 83
Correction: James is the expert. Sandy is the cheerleader.

(picture that!)

Re: Bent Rudder

Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 12:28 pm
by Allezcat
Hey Don, I've bent so many rudders I've considered reanaming the boat "Bent Rudder".

I laid the rudder blade flat against a concrete block wall and used Tapcons to fasten a 2X4 along the top edge of the blade. I purchased a piece of galvanized pipe whose inner diameter was about the same as the outer diameter of the rudder stock. This pipe is 6' long. I then used a car hydralic jack near the end of the pipe to jack up vertically against the pipe until the rudder stock was true(straight). This involved going slightly past the point needed as there is some "spring back". This only works for straightening in the fore-aft direction but seems to work quite well as the stainless is quite a bit softer than I had imagined. If you try this, I suggest getting the outside pipe near the bend so when you staighten it, it does not bend somewhere else in an "S" pattern. To staighten side bends I have blocked the rudder with 2X4's and driven the car over it! Crude, but it worked. Simon had cautioned me against cutting and welding as this changes the properties of the steel making it more susecptible to corrosion.

Good Luck,
Chet

Re: Bent Rudder

Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 4:59 pm
by Page 83
I'm having trouble picturing this chet. Could you send me a picture?

sandydaugherty@att.net

Re: Bent Rudder

Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 7:28 am
by amytom
Page 83 wrote:Correction: James is the expert. Sandy is the cheerleader.

(picture that!)

Just don't send any pictures of this! :shock:

Re: Bent Rudder

Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2010 7:56 pm
by next exit
Mine is a sideways bend. Hope i don't have to buy a heavier car.
Hauling tomorrow.