I was reading a forum item about water up the rudder stock tube. This was something I had never considered or been told about although on very hard reverse on my NB I would get water up the tube. I just put this down to poor design because of its age. When the water came up it just ran off the self draining read deck, but on this boat it's going to go into the engine room bilge.......... Not good.
As I hadn't considered this I needed to work out how to retrospectively fix it. Much head scratching and I came up with this idea.
I disassembled the rudder, ram and removed the stock.
I then slid a length of PVC pipe over it having first coated the shaft with silicone grease.
I reassemble the rudder and stock then filled the gap between the stock tube and the PVC tube with closed cell expanding foam.
Once cured I trimmed off the excess.
I think this will solve the problem.
Posts
My boat has packing glands on the rudder post's just like the propeller shaft's.
ReplyDeleteBill Kelleher
I guess I would ha e done it like that had I know about this detail. Oh well, we live and learn.
ReplyDeleteGot a packing gland planned here too Kev. How far is the top of the rudder port above the water line? I can't see there being much water getting up there in the canals. We're more concerned with freezing here so the shaft & rudder logs are designed to drain when you haul the boats ashore.
ReplyDeleteYou little genius Kev.
ReplyDeleteMo (Balmaha)
P.S. You could always keep a pack of disposable nappies handy just in case. They don't half soak up the water, I keep one in my bilge all the time and burn it on the fire later.
Thanks Mo. I try. Of course it would have been better to have been more aware of the issue so it could be done correctly.
ReplyDelete