Willpatten
Member II
When I pulled my 38-200 for the winter here on Lake Champlain I noticed that the rudder post had dropped about 5/8 of an inch, exposing the s/s post between the top of the rudder and the hull. I'm not sure how that happened but I'd like to get confirmation of how the rudder post is attached to the boat before I start taking it apart.
There is a fiberglass housing that extends into the lazarette with a bronze flange that I think is a stuffing box. The manual talks about replacing the flax under that flange. The rudder post is secured to the steering quadrant with a hefty through-bolt and continus up to the cockpit sole for the emergency steering.
It appears that the steering quadrant rides on a sleeve around the rudder post that in turn rests on the bronze flange. Is that correct?
The only reason I can guess that the rudder shaft dropped was because the sleeve is worn down or that the hole through which the shaft is bolted to the quadrant is worn.
Any ideas or corrections before I start?
There is a fiberglass housing that extends into the lazarette with a bronze flange that I think is a stuffing box. The manual talks about replacing the flax under that flange. The rudder post is secured to the steering quadrant with a hefty through-bolt and continus up to the cockpit sole for the emergency steering.
It appears that the steering quadrant rides on a sleeve around the rudder post that in turn rests on the bronze flange. Is that correct?
The only reason I can guess that the rudder shaft dropped was because the sleeve is worn down or that the hole through which the shaft is bolted to the quadrant is worn.
Any ideas or corrections before I start?