Mystery Steering Problem

[Starman]

Well Tawney 1 was fighting the wind and tide all day yesterday on his way from New Bern to Wilmington to have the engine work done and several other projects. But because of the time he came and docked for the night at Swan Point Marina.

Early this morning he called to say he had hit some sand a 1/2 mike from the marina and lost stb steering. So I went down and met him.

First I checked the ram. As he turned the wheel, both rudders showed full turn. Nothing bent , or out of place inside. Next I had him start the engines. And while tied to the dock he out the port in gear and I could feel the surge and saw the prop wash.

This was repeated for the stb side and the results were the same.

Next I laid on the swim platform and using the rope gaff pole could feel both rudders and the props.

There was no diver to be found in the area today, so I called and got one out of Wilmington and hence here is the mystery.

Both rudders will turn full port. But only the port rudder will turn full stb. The stb rudder stops at keel, or a very slight angle to the keel.

Another captain is going to come tomorrow to help him "engine" the boat down the tricky ICW in these parts.

My thinking is that the stb rudder post is actually twisted, maybe close to the point of breaking, but not quite.



So what say ye on this rudder mystery ?



Couple other things, The hynautic system is showing 28-30lbs.

There is a drip on the stb stuffing box for the rudder. While not enough to sink a boat it does drip a drop every 2 seconds or so.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Maybe he just sheared the key off in the stbd rudder. It has enough friction to turn one way, but not the other and it slips.

 

[Starman]

That would make sense Sky.

What we see turning that comes through the stuffing box, that the arms of the ram are attatched to; Is that the top of the rudder bar/arm ?

Or is the that part of the rudder arm/bar capped ?

 

[Trojan]

Sure sounds like a sheared key. Loosen the rudder shaft clamp and check. It is probably catching on the broken key when you turn into it and just slides on the shaft the other way. I would think you would bend a shaft long before you would ever twist it.

BILL

 

[TedZ]

It is no big thing to mark the arm and shaft with soapstone or a piece of masking tape and turn the wheel.

Should solve the key issue.

Ted

 

[Starman]

I understand what you sre saying. But what does not make sense when looking at this is that the rudder appears to have full motion on both sides when looking at it from the inside.

Cleary it moves past keel in both directions.

Now if the rudder has a cap on the inside, on top of the shaft, then all would be clear, and I can understand it . Because we would not actually be looking at the rudder shaft.

 

[mike]

My 53'MY has no cap on the rudderpost, it protrudes through the tiller arm that connects to the tie-bar.

 

[Starman]

Thanx for the input.

I expect it is the key. The key probably sheered, saving the rudder. It just appears everything is OK on the inside, but is probably not aligned the way it should be giving the false impression of being straight to the keel.

We will find out next week.