sailboat rudder bushing material

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Beginning in 1980, Jefa Rudder & Steering Systems has supplied Rudder Bearings to over 40,000 boats along with more than 15,000 steering systems. Jefa was founded by Jan Faurschou and Stig Jensen. Jan and Stig continue with hands on management of Jefa’s two manufacturing facilities.

Jefa rudder bearings offer the utmost in feel and durability. Utilizing captive roller bearings in rugged aluminum housings, there is a full range of sizes and styles including self aligning bearings to suit all sizes of sailboats. Sizes are available from 30mm to 260mm for production and custom applications.

You'll find Jefa Rudder Bearings on these brands and many more.

Roller Bearings, No Roller Cage Needed

All Jefa rudder bearings are produces with precision machined rollers and close tolerances to provide smooth operation under load. The close tolerance allows Jefa to eliminate the roller cage needed with sloppy bearings and keep the design simple for long term reliability.

Retrofit Bearings

Jefa offers replacement and retrofit bearings for many boats built using bearings that are no longer produced. We have replacement bearings for many U.S. built, and European boats. These include J-Boats, Beneteau, Express, Bavaria, Santa Cruz, Dehler, Olson, Moody, and many more.

Standard & Self-aligning Bearings

Jefa produces self-aligning bearings for rudder stocks engineered to flex. Self-aligning bearings also eliminate the need for precise alignment during installation. Standard or Non Self-aligning bearings are available at a lower cost and normally have a smaller outside diameter.

Plastics vs. Aluminum

Whenever possible, Jefa uses Engineering plastic below the waterline. This offers a durable bearing while helping to eliminate electrolysis at the waterline and near antifouling paint.

Jefa Rudder Stocks & Rudders

Jefa has delivered rudder stocks and complete rudder for 1000’s boats. Rudder stocks are available machined from Stainless Steel, or aluminum alloy. Rudders are laminated in female molds and filled with high density foam. Complete rudders are built to OEM specification or as replacement rudders for existing boats by Jefa in purpose built production facility allowing us to deliver the highest quality rudders to a competitive.

Here are common questions we receive about our Jefa Rudder Bearings. If you can't find an answer to your question here please feel free to contact us by using the contact form below.

1. Why do you use plastics on your bearings?

Jefa uses engineering plastic on bearings below the waterline as it helps to eliminate electrolysis at the waterline and near antifouling paint.

2. Do I need a roller cage with a Jefa rudder bearing?

No, Jefa rudder bearings are produced at a very high precision. The machined rollers are at such a close tolerance that they provide a smooth operation while under load. The close tolerance allows Jefa to eliminate the roller cage needed with sloppy bearings and keep the design simple for long term reliability.

3. Does Jefa offer retrofit bearings?

Yes, Jefa offers replacement and retrofit bearings for many boats built using bearings that are no longer produced. We have replacement bearings for many U.S. built, and European boats. These include J-Boats, Beneteau, Express, Bavaria, Santa Cruz, Dehler, Olson, Moody, and many more. Please contact us for more details.

Talk To An Expert!

Want to know which Jefa rudder bearing is for you? Have more questions about Jefa rudder bearings? Please contact us.

Need to know more information? Feel free to download our Jefa Rudder Bearing brochures, installation instructions and price lists. Can't find what you're looking for? Please contact us!

Brochures, Instructions & Price Lists

• Jefa J105 Rudder Bearing Flyer
• Jefa J120 Rudder Bearing Flyer
• Jefa Rudder & Rudder Bearing Antifouling Instructions
• Jefa Rudder Bearing Price List

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Vesconite Marine

Vesconite is ideal for many marine applications. First tested as a stern tube bearing in 1977, it is suited to both dry and immersed applications – in fact water is an excellent coolant and lubricant.

Vesconite is extensively used for rudder and stern tube bearings. Vesconite’s internal lubricants make it eminently suited to upper rudder bearing applications where there are long periods between greasing or no greasing at all, or where water lubrication cannot be ensured when operating with light ballasts.

The hundreds of vessels equipped with Vesconite during the last 40 years – ranging from pleasure boats to tankers – testify to the desirability of long-life, low-maintenance Vesconite in marine applications.

Benefits to Marine Applications

• Vesconite does not swell or distort in water.
• Vesconite does not delaminate or distort under higher loads.
• Vesconite does not corrode.
• Vesconite does not require lubrication.
• Vesconite is resistant to oils and fuels.
• Vesconite bearings are easy to fit and remove.
• Vesconite prolongs shaft life

Material Comparison

Bronze has a high friction rating and requires lubrication. Vesconite is self-lubricating and has a low friction coefficient.

Elastomers lack dimensional stability and have a high thermal expansion. This is not the case with Vesconite.

Laminated and composite materials tend to absorb water and swell.

Rubber has high friction and causes stick-slip, resulting in vibration and high shaft wear

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Dear Customers

We would like to announce VescoPlastics Sales (Pty) Ltd trading as Vesconite Bearings. The new “trading-as” name, Vesconite Bearings, reflects more accurately our focus on bearing applications.

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rudder bushing material, loads

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If you want the short version: What sort of loads can I expect (or a source for equations) for a 33'' 7500 lb. displacement racing sloop with a 4.5 ft deep x 2 ft long spade rudder. What tensile strength bushing material should be accepted as a minimum? The long version: I dropped my rudder and removed the old bushings, which I believe to be some sort of nylon after a quick burn test. Too much play in the rudder stock (which is aluminum) and such, the whole post was banging around in waves. I am planning on doing the epoxy/graphite solution on dan pfeiffer''s P26 page (http://dan.pfeiffer.net/p26/howto.htm) to create new smooth bearing surfaces on the rudder shaft. So, I need to come up with a material I can have machined into new bushings. Lower bushing was made up of two 1" high pieces and 3 1.5" high pieces, all of about 2.7" ID and 3.3" OD. Upper bushing looks like a mushroom cap on which the aluminum stock-to-tiller set block rides. The hole through the mushroom cap is about 1.5" ID, 2.5" OD, and the cap diameter is about 4". Some criteria I would like from this material: Low cost - under $100/ft; Low coefficient of friction, high tensile strength, no water absorption, weather resistant, UV resistant, dimensionally stable, low thermal coefficient of expansion, decent impact strength, easily machined, scratch resistant, decently chemical resistant, must come in a 4" size rod. Of course, this exact material doesn''t appear to exist. Time for tradeoffs. I have been poking around www.mcmaster.com for some plastics ideas and specifications. Materials I have narrowed it down to include Delrin (either black or white), Oil-Filled Cast nylon, MDS Filled Cast nylon 6, and UHWM polyethelene. Some I have eliminated include Cast Nylon 6 (too much water absorption), Delrin AF (not weather resistant, becomes chalky and brittle, and costs around 300/ft), and Teflon/PTFE products (also too costly at 200''s/ft, low scratch resistances). UHWM would be perfect if it was UV stabilized, but still might be fine for the lower bushings. Coeff of friction is only .11 and price is dirt cheap at 19/ft. Has a higher thermal coeff of expansion than some others but since it probably won''t ever see temps over 100 F and we''re talking about expansions of 11x10 exp(-5) /in/in/deg F I don''t consider this a very high-weight variable. The biggest problem with this material may be the tensile strength. It is listed at 3050 - 4600 psi, and the nylons (which I believe my old bushings are made of) are generally in the 9000 - 12000 psi range, so I am not sure that UHMW will be able to hold up to the rudder loads without deforming... hence my earlier question. Oil Filled Cast nylon would also be perfect if it were more scratch resistant, which leads me to be concerned about durability. It says it is very stable dimensionally, but i''m still concerned about the water absorption properties of nylons in general. Price is ok at 67/ft. Delrin is slightly higher friction .2 - .25 and only moderately UV resistant but seems otherwise good, and I''ve heard of many people using this. MDS-filled cast nylon 6 is a better overall nylon than the oil filled, but coeff of friction is up at .22 and I''m very concerned about water absorption of this one since it is not noted as dimensionally stable and the other regular Cast nylon 6 is very water absorbing. Ok, there you have it, so if anyone has made it this far and has any recommendations or comments, please share! Thanks in advance!  

Rudder bearing typically fail due to abrasion and not compressional loads. I wont venture a guess about what rudder load you can expect; but, do offer the following: Nylon will hydrolyse (the breakup of the long chain molecules)) in water; should NOT be used in ''wetted'' applications. Delrin is subject to "face transfer" - meaning the delrin will abrade quickly and attempt to transfer/attach to the rudder stock. UHMWPE is too soft to bear loads unless you have comparitively large bearing surface areas. PTFE or allied fluropolymers if purchased in cylinder or barstock will be prohibitively expensive. I assume that you have worn rudder shaft bearings. An adequate strength and frictional repair is possible by using your present bearings and filling the voids with carbon filled epoxy and Technora (PTFE thread) or "PTFE dental floss". Method: polish the present rudder shaft to a "mirror" polish using "Tripoli" buffing compound (available in most old-fashioned hardware stores). Coat the shaft with wax; rub on then heat lightly with a torch to apply and smooth-out a ''few mil'' thickness of wax. Wind the PTFE thread in an very open ''diamond pattern'' on the shaft but not so tight as to not deform the wax. Mix epoxy resin and fill with carbon powder to the consistency of thin mayonaise and apply to shaft/bearing surface. Assemble the bearing and mix, allow to cure. When fully cured, rotate the shaft to break the wax free. This ''fix'' is quite popular on many Pearsons that use delrin rudder shaft bearings. Do a websearch for ("Pearson + bearings + rudder") for other info. BTW - If you''re machining base polymer from scratch, your bearing clearance should be approx. 0.002-0.003" per inch of shaft diameter (less any press fit/interference fit that you use to press the bearing into the GRP to mechanically hold it in place.  

I have one word: Acetal Its water and UV resistant. It comes in differt blends the Tucite* A (blue) being the strongest.  

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Welcome to Jefa Rudder

We have rudder and bearings for your boat.

Who is Jefa Rudder?

Beginning in 1980, Jefa Rudder has supplied Rudder Bearings to over 40,000 boats. Jefa was founded by Jan Faurschou. Today Jefa Rudder is steered with the second generation at its helm, by Jan’s daughter Louise.

Did you know

Quality roller bearings.

All Jefa rudder bearings are produces with precision machined rollers and close tolerances to provide smooth operation under load. The close tolerance allows Jefa to eliminate the roller cage needed with sloppy bearings and keep the design simple for long term reliability.

Retrofit Bearings

Jefa Rudder produces replacement rudder balls for all old JP3 and Seaway (Bavaria, Elan, Salona, etc..) rudder bearing.

Jefa Rudder produces replacements for old Harken rudder bearings which is precisely match the original outer dimensions

Standard & self-aligning bearings

Jefa produces self-aligning bearings for rudder stocks engineered to flex. Self-aligning bearings also eliminate the need for precise alignment during installation. Standard or Non Self-aligning bearings are available at a lower cost and normally have a smaller outside diameter.

Professional BoatBuilder Magazine

The rudimentaries of rudders.

By Steve D'Antonio , Jul 12, 2018

Even stoutly constructed rudders are vulnerable to deterioration over time, especially when mild steel or high-carbon-stainless steel is buried in composite foil sections, which inevitably become saturated with seawater.

Like other systems and gear aboard cruising and commercial vessels, rudders have terms to identify their parts and functions. When measuring a rudder, the span and chord are the vertical height and fore-and-aft width, respectively, while the top of portion closest to the hull is referred to as the root , and the bottom is called the tip . Another term frequently used when discussing rudder design, particularly for sailing vessels, is aspect ratio —simply the square of the rudder’s span divided by the rudder’s area. As a rule of thumb, longer, narrower rudders are more efficient than short, wide rudders, and the aspect ratio describes precisely this relationship. Thus, rudders on high-performance sailing vessels are said to have a high-aspect ratio. Walking around a boatyard one day and measuring a few cruising sailboat rudders, I came up with aspect ratios of between 1.7 and 2.1, while one high-performance sailing vessel’s rudder came in at 3.5. The 20-knot semi-displacement lobster yacht’s rudder I measured yielded an even 2.0 aspect ratio, which is considered respectable for this application.

More identifiable rudder components include the stock ; web or armature ; rudderport or log ; stuffing box or compression tube ; bearing ; gudgeon ; and pintle . Not every rudder has all these components.

Rudderstocks

The rudderstock is essentially a shaft or tube that protrudes from the top and sometimes the bottom, depending upon type, of many rudder designs. Because this component provides the primary connection between the rudder’s blade (the flat section that imparts the steering force) and the vessel’s steering system, its design, construction, and material are consequential.

Most stocks are made of stainless steel, bronze, or aluminum, while some are carbon fiber, and they may be solid or hollow. Stainless steel is by far the most common, but it has a penchant for crevice corrosion when exposed to oxygen-depleted water. Insidiously, corrosion nearly always occurs in places where it cannot easily be seen—such as inside many composite (fiberglass and core material) rudder blades and beneath flax-type stuffing-box packing (the problem is exacerbated when the vessel is used infrequently).

This all-stainless rudderstock and webbing is well crafted and ready to be covered with its composite shell.

Of the stainless steel alloys, some resist this corrosion better than others. Stainless-steel rudderstocks should be manufactured with strong, highly corrosion-resistant proprietary shafting alloys such as A22. The next best choice is 316L stainless steel, which also resists crevice corrosion well. Critically important is the L suffix, meaning “low carbon,” a requirement if it is to be welded, as nearly every rudderstock must be, to the support within composite rudders, or to all-metallic plate-steel rudders. Failure to source low-carbon stainless steel for the stock or the web leads to weld decay, sometimes referred to as carbide precipitation, where the region around the weld loses its resistance to corrosion and rusts when exposed to water.

Aluminum rudderstocks are nearly always tubular. Common on aluminum vessels to reduce the likelihood of galvanic corrosion, aluminum stocks are also relatively common on fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) vessels, particularly large ones. Rudder blades, particularly on aluminum vessels, are often fabricated from aluminum. Of the various aluminum alloys, only a few possess the necessary corrosion-resistance and strength necessary for use as rudderstocks. Of these, the 6000 series, and 6082 in particular—an alloy of aluminum, manganese, and silicon—are popular for this application.

Because aluminum, like stainless steel, suffers from corrosion, it should not be used as stock or web material in composite rudders. Referred to as poultice corrosion, it occurs when aluminum is exposed to oxygen-depleted water. Because oxygen is what allows aluminum to form its tough, corrosion-resistant oxide coating, the metal should never be allowed to remain wet and starved of air as it would be inside a composite rudder blade after water makes its way in around the stock and pintle.

Rudderstock material can corrode in way of the oxygen-starved environment around the packing in a stuffing box.

Bronze, a once popular rudderstock material, is no longer common in today’s production vessels. Although strong and exceptionally corrosion resistant (immune to crevice corrosion), bronze is not easily welded to attach to a rudder’s internal structural webbing, and has thus been supplanted by stainless alloys. Bronze rudderstocks, particularly those that have seen many sea miles, are also known for wearing, or hourglassing, within stuffing boxes, where the flax rides against the stock. If a bronze stock rudder is chronically leaky, disassemble the stuffing box and check for excessive wear. The same is true for stainless and aluminum stocks: chronic leakage is often an indication of corrosion at the packing. Finally, because of their galvanic incompatibility, neither bronze nor copper alloys should be used aboard aluminum vessels for rudderstocks or any other rudder or stuffing box components.

Mild-steel webbing welded to a stainless-steel rudderstock is a recipe for eventual corrosion and failure.

The webbing, or internal metallic support system, in most composite rudders must be strong enough to carry the loads of service and be made of the appropriate material. At one time, many rudders were built using stainless-steel stocks and ordinary, rust-prone mild or carbon-steel webbing. Inadvisably, some still are. The union between a stainless stock and FRP rudder blade is tenuous at best (the two materials expand and contract at different rates) and stainless steel’s slippery surface makes adhesion to the laminate resin a short-lived affair. Once water enters the gap between these two materials, it will reach the webbing and associated welds. Thus, all the materials within this structure must be as corrosion- and water-resistant as possible, and the core material must be closed-cell—often foam—and nonhygroscopic.

This destroyed foam-core and stainless-steel rudder reveals the conventional construction of such appendages.

Additionally, where possible, the stock should consist of a single section of solid or tubular material; i.e., it should not be sleeved, reduced, or otherwise modified or welded unless done so in an exceptionally robust manner. The webbing must be welded to the stock, but the structure of the stock should not rely on a weld that would experience cyclical, torsional loading.

The webbing in the form of a plate or grid should be welded to the stock with ample horizontal gussets (small wedges welded where the stock and webbing interface), which will reinforce welds 90° to the primary web attachment.

Whether the rudder is spade (supported only at the top) or skeg hung (supported at the top and the bottom), the stock must pass through and be supported by the hull. This is usually accomplished by a component known as a rudder log, or port. In its simplest form it’s a tube or pipe through which the stock passes. Nearly all logs incorporate two other components—a bearing and a stuffing box. The bearing may be as simple as a bronze or nonmetallic bushing or tube inside of which the stock turns; or it may be as complex as a self-aligning roller-bearing carrier that absorbs rudder deflection and prevents binding.

This rudder log is leaking, corroded, and poorly supported, with washers compressing into the backing plate and gelcoat cracking off.

The log transfers tremendous loads and must be exceptionally strong and well bonded to the hull. Fiberglass vessels should rely on a well-tabbed-in purpose-made tube (its filaments are wound and crisscrossed and thus quite strong) that is supported with a series of vertical gussets that distribute the load to the hull’s surrounding structure. On some spade rudder installations, particularly where the log is not, or could not, be long enough, an additional bearing is used at the top of the stock, above the quadrant, where it is supported by the vessel’s deck.

On metal boats the design is similar but with a metal tube welded in place, supported by substantial gussets. For vessels with skeg-hung rudders, the strength of the rudder log is still important. However, because the loads are not imparted by a cantilevered structure, logs used in these applications may be less substantially supported.

Stuffing Box

Unless the rudder log’s upper terminus is well above the waterline or on the weather deck, it is typically equipped with a stuffing box similar to those used for propeller shafts. But unlike a shaft stuffing box, the rudder’s stuffing box shouldn’t leak much, if any, seawater. Because the rudder turns slowly, friction and heat are not a problem. Packing (i.e., waxed-flax packing like that in traditional stuffing boxes) can typically be tight enough to stem all leakage, and lubricating it with heavy water-resistant grease will reduce friction and leakage.

Stuffing boxes that are above the waterline while the vessel is at rest, such as those on many sailboats, are often the most chronically leaky, because the packing tends to dry out and contract. To avoid this, liberally apply grease to the packing material itself; this requires partial disassembly of the stuffing box. Alternatively, a galvanically compatible (316 stainless or Monel for bronze stuffing boxes) grease fitting may be installed and periodically pumped with grease to keep the packing lubricated.

Rudder Bearings

Well-engineered rudder bearings support and lubricate the rudderstock.

Rudder bearings range from the basic rudderstock turning inside a bronze log, to the sophisticated aluminum, stainless, or nonmetallic roller bearings installed in a self-aligning carrier. For most cruising vessels, the choice of bearing is not as important as knowing which type of bearing is in use and its strengths, weaknesses, and maintenance needs. The simple shaft that turns inside a bronze log is durable and reliable but more friction-prone than roller bearings. If lubrication access or a grease fitting is available, it should be pumped with grease periodically, although most rudders rely solely on seawater for lubrication, which is perfectly acceptable.

This synthetic upper bearing worked fine in cool temperatures, but when it heated up in the sun, the material expanded and caused binding in system.

Nonmetallic sleeve and roller bearings, often made of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), require no maintenance, are extremely slippery, and will not absorb water, an essential attribute for nonmetallic bearings. Delrin and nylon, for instance, will absorb water, expand, and lead to rudder binding. On several high-performance sailing vessels, I’ve had to replace nylon or similar bearings with UHMWPE to restore the steering to its proper specification and effort level.

Propeller Removal

Shaft removal should be possible with the rudder in place. This conventional skeg-hung rudder has a hole to facilitate shaft removal when the rudder is swung hard to port or starboard.

Whether a rudder is a spade or skeg-hung design, it’s important to determine how it will affect the removal of the propeller or the propeller shaft. Is there enough clearance between the shaft’s trailing end and the leading edge of the rudder to allow the propeller to be removed or to use a propeller removal tool? Can the shaft be slid out without removing the rudder? Some rudders are equipped with shaft-removal holes, while others are installed slightly offset from the centerline; or the rudder’s leading edge has an indentation to allow the shaft to be removed. The propeller should be removable without having to unship the rudder. The dimensional rule of thumb calls for clearance of at least the prop’s hub length between the aft end of the shaft and the leading edge of the rudder.

Rudder Stops

The rudder’s movement should be unimpeded as it swings approximately 35° in either direction, making no contact with hull or propeller. Just as important as the rudder travel is how its movement is checked. Other than for the smallest runabouts with jacketed cables, all inboard rudders should rely on hydraulic cylinders to check rudder travel (provided they are designed to do so, and most are) or be equipped with robust stops. Stops must be integral to the hull, supported by substantial tabbing or a welded and through-bolted structure for fiberglass vessels, or by welded angle and shelves for metallic hulls.

About the Author: For many years a full-service yard manager, Steve now works with boatbuilders and owners and others in the industry as Steve D’Antonio Marine Consulting. He is an ABYC-certified Master Technician, and sits on that organization’s Hull and Piping Project Technical Committee. He’s also the technical editor of Professional BoatBuilder .

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Building, restoration, and repair with epoxy

Rudder Repair

By  tom pawlak — gbi technical advisor.

A typical spade rudder for sailboats is made up of two fiberglass skins that define the shape of the rudder, a metal mandrel that is an extension of the rudder post, and foam core which bridges the space between the skins and mandrel. In order for a rudder like this to work properly, its fiberglass skins must be attached to the core and the core must be attached to the metal mandrel. Side loads on a rudder exert compression loads on the core which transfer into the mandrel. If the components become detached, the rudder can deflect excessively and eventually develop cracks in the fiberglass skins.

Causes of rudder failure

Through normal use, rudders go through a lot of stress. With every turn, the skin on each side is subject to a cycle of compression and tension. Years of sailing can accumulate a lot of these fatigue cycles. Shock loads, groundings, competitive sailing and a rudder that may have been under-engineered all contribute to rudder failure.

Additional damage, at least in northern climates, can be caused by freezing water. A slight leak at the top of a fiberglass rudder will allow moisture to enter. A drop or two of water per day adds up over time. Once inside, the water will freeze during the winter. When it freezes, it expands and can crush the foam core and, in some cases, cause the rudder to delaminate and even split apart. It may take several seasons for a problem like this to reveal itself. Our tech staff gets many calls about this kind of damage from boat owners in northern climates.

A common place to find damage is at the top of the rudder where the skin meets the rudder post. The core and fiberglass skin surrounding the post are repeatedly compressed against the post. The result can be a gap along side of the post, allowing excessive movement and permitting water to enter along the post.

Reinforcing/repairing the top of the rudder

A small gap around the rudder post or tube is not considered serious and can be sealed with a flexible sealant to keep water out. Left unsealed, the gap may allow water into the rudder, leading to extensive damage later.

As a rudder ages and additional fatigue cycles accumulate, stress cracks may develop in the fiberglass laminate around the rudder post at the top of the rudder. These cracks usually radiate from the post into the surrounding fiberglass, often beginning at the glue joint where the two fiberglass halves of the rudder meet. If the cracks are limited to this glue joint, they can be cleaned out with a broken hack saw blade or rotary grinder and glued back together with epoxy thickened with a high density filler.

If the cracks at the top of the rudder radiate into fiberglass beyond the glue joint, the cracks need to be properly repaired. This is accomplished by grinding out all of the damaged fiberglass and replacing the removed material with fiberglass cloth and WEST SYSTEM® Epoxy. At the same time, reinforce the joint between the rudder post and the fiberglass rudder top by cutting away a band of fiberglass and core around the post and filling the gap with epoxy thickened with high density filler.

• Grind away the damaged fiberglass skin around the cracks with a rotary tool like a die grinder or Dremmel TM tool. Avoid grinding into the rudder post, this will weaken it. Cut the opening to a smooth circular or oval shape, and grind a 12:1 bevel around the edge of the fiberglass.
• Grind back the fiberglass skin at least 1/2″ from the rudder post on all sides. Grind or cut the core around the post at a 45 degree angle back to the post.
• Dry the area with heat lamps or heat guns if necessary. Sand the metal surfaces to be bonded with 80 grit to roughen the surface.
• Apply a coat of unthickened epoxy to the metal, fiberglass laminate and core.
• Fill the excavated area around the tube with epoxy thickened with 404 High-Density filler.
• Apply layers of wet out fiberglass fabric across the repair to restore the skin. Use enough layers to equal the original skin thickness. Step the edge of each layer of fabric back to match the 12:1 bevel. Sand and fair the surface when cured. Apply several epoxy barrier coats after fairing is completed, before applying bottom paint.

It’s not a bad idea to reinforce the top of the rudder in this way as a precaution, when the rudder is out of the boat and you are making other rudder repairs.

Repairing delamination

Accumulated stresses can lead to cracks in other locations on the rudder. A common skin failure on an aging rudder occurs in the area where the metal mandrel inside the rudder ends. These stress cracks show up on the sides of the rudder about two thirds of the length down from the top. The damage may be isolated to the cracks in the fiberglass skin or problems may go deeper.

Delamination can occur anywhere in the rudder but will most likely show up in this same area where the metal mandrel inside the rudder ends. The stress cracks and delamination can go unnoticed for a season or two and the problem may not be identified until water begins weeping from the rudder after the boat is pulled from the water.

When delamination is discovered, drill a few small holes to drain any water that may have accumulated inside the void. Tap on the outside of the rudder to identify the extent of damage. Debonded areas will have a distinct dull sound compared to undamaged sections. Use a pencil or permanent marker to identify the boundaries of damage.

There are two approaches one can take to restore strength to the delaminated area. The first and easiest option is the drill and fill approach. The second option involves removing the fiberglass skin in the debonded area, repairing the core, gluing the skin back in place and structurally repairing the original cracks in the skin if any and the cuts made in the fiberglass skin to gain access to the core.

Drilling and filling

The drill and fill method is the easiest of the two repairs. It involves fewer steps but takes more time to complete the repair because of the longer time required to dry out the wet core before the repair can be attempted. The repair may not be as reliable as the second method because there is no opportunity to inspect or prepare the delaminated areas inside the rudder for optimum bonding. Even so, this method has worked well when the damage is not too extensive.

• Drill a series of 1/8″ to 3/16″ holes on a one inch grid pattern over the debonded area. Drill deep enough to get to the center of the core. You may hit the metal mandrel.
• Dry the core. Wet cores can take weeks or months to dry even if a multitude of holes have been drilled. Force drying with heaters or heat lamps is recommended for speeding the process. A small fan blowing over the surface will help. Locate any heat source carefully to minimize the risks of fire. I have been surprised to find how hot a surface can get after leaving a heat lamp unattended for several hours.
• Verify that the core is dry by drilling a few more holes when you think the rudder has dried out. Squeeze the core drillings to see if they are dry.
• Inject a slow curing epoxy such as 105 Resin and 206 Hardener or 105 Resin with 209 Extra Slow Hardener. Use syringes to force the epoxy into the delaminated areas. Lay the rudder on its side with the drilled side facing up, so gravity works in your favor.
• Refill the holes as necessary with unthickened epoxy until the holes are filled flush with the surface. A light layer of fiberglass cloth can be applied over the area to strengthen the area if desired.

Removing the skin and repairing the core

Most repair facilities use the second option and cut off the fiberglass skin in the debonded area. They remove and repair the voided core before gluing the rudder skin back in place. This method allows the rudder to be repaired over the period of days rather than weeks. It is also a more reliable repair because you get to see what you are bonding to. Surfaces can be dried quickly and thoroughly, and damaged core can be removed and replaced with new core.

• Cut through the fiberglass skin using the marked boundary of the delaminated area as a guide. Use a rotary tool or a circular saw with the blade set to cut just below the surface of the fiberglass.
• Carefully pry off the fiberglass skin to expose the delaminated core. Removing the skin may be difficult if the delamination is within the core rather than between the skin and core. Hack saw blades or dry wall saws may be needed to cut the core that has delaminated from the mandrel but is still attached to the surrounding areas. Remove the skin and attached core together.
• Remove all loose and crumbled core.
• Dry the area with heat lamps or heat guns. Caution! Don’t let the surface get too hot.
• Bond any intact pieces of core back in place (like a three dimensional puzzle), using thickened epoxy. Gaps of 1/4″ can be bridged using 105 Resin with 206 Hardener thickened with 407 Low-Density Filler. Wider gaps are possible if you are working in cool temperatures or if you use 209 Extra Slow Hardener. Caution! epoxy generates heat (exotherms) when it cures and may melt the foam core if too much epoxy is used at one time to fill wide gaps in the core.If the core is too broken up, replace larger voids with a foam core of similar density, glued in place with epoxy and low-density filler.
• Prepare the bonding surfaces of the core and the inner surface of the removed skin (or the core attached to the skin). Dry fit the fiberglass skin over the repaired core. Remove any small pieces of core or epoxy that may keep the skin from fitting flush. Vacuum off any dust and loose material.\plain \par
• Wet out the bonding surfaces of the fiberglass skin or attached core with unthickened epoxy. Apply epoxy thickened with 406 Colloidal Silica to the core with a notched trowel.
• Press the fiberglass skin into the thickened epoxy and hold it in position (flush with the surrounding skin), with weights, duct tape or bungee cord.
• Prepare the cuts in the fiberglass skin for repair by grinding a 12:1 bevel in both directions from the cut. An 1/8″ thick fiberglass skin will require a 1/2″ wide bevel on either side of the cut.
• Apply several layers of fiberglass tape over the joint. Use enough layers to equal the thickness of the skin. (Several layers of 731 or 732, 9 oz. fiberglass tape equals about 1/8″
• Prepare the surface of the cured epoxy by washing with water and an abrasive pad, and sanding thoroughly (or wet sanding). Fair the fiberglass buildup with 407 Low-Density filled epoxy. Apply three barrier coats of epoxy over faired areas, allow to cure, then wet sand, before applying bottom paint.

For general information on fiberglass boat repairs, download our  Fiberglass Boat Repair & Maintenance (free download) manual (free).

My Sailing Fix

Catalina Rudder Bearing Replacement

While anchored two seasons ago, I noticed a clunk when Priorities rocked back and forth from the wakes of passing boats. The sound clearly came from the rudderpost area in the lazarette. After visually observing the rudderpost wobbling back and forth with each clunk, I figured last winter was finally time to act on a project I had been putting off for a while: replacing the top rudder bearing.

Priorities is a 1996 Catalina 400 Mark I, and like many Catalinas around her size and vintage she has rudder bearings made from a hard plastic. They are a wear item, but should last a decade or two. One symptom of excessive wear is a bunch of play in the rudder that’s noticeable when shaking the bottom of the rudder after haulout. Rudder bearing wear is a gradual process, and isn’t a crisis when first noticed. However, I can see where it might aggravate wear on steering cables and autopilot drive linkages… also items on my winter project list. It also wasn’t going to get better with time, either.

Several years ago, I hired a professional to help me replace the bottom rudder bearing. Though the job itself wasn’t that complicated, it needed to be done while the boat was out of the water and high enough above the ground to allow us to completely remove the rudder from the boat. With a rudderpost that extends 3 feet above the rudder, we needed 3 feet of clearance under the bottom of the rudder in order to remove it. I worked with the boatyard to do the project while still in the slings after haulout, but before being placed on her cradle. An alternative is to dig a hole in the ground below the rudder… but that’s not that easy in frozen Wisconsin, or for those of us that store on concrete!

I had purchased the complete set of rudder bearings from Catalina Direct when I replaced the lower bearing. It was a whopping $620! Though I initially planned on replacing the top bearing the same year I replaced the bottom, the looseness seemed much better after replacing just the bottom bearing. I put off what I saw as unnecessary work until I started hearing that clunk two seasons ago.

After haulout last winter, a quick check revealed nearly an inch of play when shaking the bottom of the rudder. The bottom bearing itself had become loose from the hull, too, which was part of the problem. It did seem, however, that most of the motion was in the top of the rudderpost, confirming my observations earlier in the season. After our steering cable failure on our trip to Pentwater that same season, a steering overhaul was big on my list of winter projects… so I replaced the top rudder bearing this same winter.

I started this project by climbing into the bottom of the lazarette and getting photos of everything. Having photos of how systems look when fully assembled helps when reassembling them later… especially if i don’t finish until spring.

Since I planned a complete steering overhaul including cable replacement, I disconnected the steering cables from the quadrant, and removed the quadrant from the rudderpost. I also removed the autopilot tiller. When I replaced the lower bearing a few years ago, I delivered the boat to the boatyard a day before haulout before disconnecting the quadrant. Some other 400 owners have used their emergency tiller for the final maneuvers to the crane… but mine didn’t fit until recently.

Since I didn’t need to replace the lower bearing this time, I didn’t need to completely remove the rudder. Therefore, I did this project out of the water in the cradle, making logistics simpler.

Before any more disassembly, I compared the new top bearing with the old top bearing. The new top bearing is a self aligning bearing, involving a partial sphere sandwiched between two plastic rings. The self aligning feature allows the bearing to “wiggle” to stay aligned while not allowing lateral movement. Apparently it helps reduce friction when underway, when the rudderpost bends with stress. Unfortunately, its overall size is larger than the original on my boat.

With some careful measurements and fussing, I figured that simply mounting the top bearing on top of the bearing box wouldn’t work due to a lack of space. Some other Catalina 400 owners, especially owners of later models, might not have this issue since I’m willing to bet each boat’s bearing box is semi custom made and has slightly different dimensions. Some boats might even use this new self aligning bearing as an OEM part.

I came up with a design that should be pretty strong: the upper bearing straddles the bottom of the bearing box, transferring any lateral loads directly into the box. The bottom flange of the bearing mounts under the box, held up by a piece of G10 fiberglass and through bolts that also hold the top flange in place. To keep the spacing right, the top flange had a ¼” piece of G10 under it as well. I used ¼” G10 under the bottom flange, but in retrospect the bottom G10 piece probably should have been ⅜” or ½” for additional stiffness.

On my boat, the packing components around the rudderpost looked like they needed attention… large amounts of caulk had been put around a joint earlier in its life. Since a new packing assembly came with the bearing assembly, I decided I would replace it, too. This meant I needed to lower the rudder a foot to give me enough clearance above the rudderpost in the lazarette to swap old with new. Lowering the rudder this amount would also give me room to make minor modifications to the bearing box to accommodate my plan.

Filled with foam, I’ve heard the rudder isn’t that heavy when in water. On the hard, however, it’s pretty heavy, and felt like it weighed 100 pounds. It’s held up by one bolt above the top bearing. Since I was working alone, I built a stand of scrap 4×4 lumber to prop up the rudder a fraction of an inch and removed the top bolt.

After triple checking my measurements, I lowered the rudder down about a foot. I widened the hole in the existing bearing box to allow the upper bearing’s lower flange to fit better, and drilled holes for the through bolts. I installed the lower section of the packing assembly with screws, sealing the edges with 4200. Then I loosely fit all the remaining components that would end up under the bearing box around the rudderpost: the rest of the new packing assembly, the lower flange’s G10 brace, and the lower flange of the upper bearing. Then, I raised the rudder to full height again.

Getting the through bolts to line up took some work… I ended up drilling out the holes in the G10 pieces one size larger and used washers. The rudder is held up by a new stainless ring (supplied with the rudder bearings) atop the upper bearing. This ring needed to be drilled out as well to fit the new 5/16” bolt that matched the existing hole in the rudderpost.

Now that the new top bearing assembly fit correctly, I felt I could reinstall the loose bottom bearing again with adhesive. The bottom bearing is not self aligning, so I waited to glue this in place until after the top bearing was installed. Lowering the rudder one last time a few inches (or all the way out if replacing the whole thing), I removed the screws holding the bottom bearing in place, and pried the bearing out of the rudder tube with a crowbar and sharp knife.

The bottom bearing is mostly held in place with 3M 5200. Some call this the “devil’s glue,” since it forms a permanent bond that’s awful to remove from most substrates. However, the bearing is plastic, and not much bonds to plastic very well. On both occasions when I’ve removed the bottom bearing it wasn’t a disaster, especially since I could use a knife to cut through the bond. To facilitate future replacement, I used 5200 only on the bottom flange, NONE on the sides that go 2 ¼” into the rudder tube.

There are screws that hold the bottom bearing in place, too. With a hull thickness of 1 to 2 inches in this area, I used 1 ¼” long screws since the bearing flange is ½” thick. When I first replaced the bottom bearing I was told these screws are mostly there to hold the bearing in place while the 5200 sets. As a result, I didn’t tighten them much. At haulout last fall I noticed they had sheared off, possibly contributing to it coming loose again. This time around, I tightened the screws more firmly.

Raising the rudder one last time while the 5200 cured to ensure it cured in alignment, I installed the retainer ring and screw at the top bearing. A few days later I wiggled the rudder back and forth to check for any binding of the bearings. Without any steering connections, the rudder moved very easily, with only a slight resistance in one direction.

New ½” flax packing was installed in the new packing assembly, and the top compression ring tightened moderately to prevent leaks. This packing is above the waterline, so the boat won’t sink at the dock if this fails, but a seal is needed in waves and maybe when motoring.

To complete the project I reinstalled the quadrant and autopilot tiller. The bearing box cover was reinstalled and resealed with silicone caulk, and the emergency tiller access port got a new O-ring purchased from McMaster-Carr .

After a season of use, including several instances of being stressed when sailing overpowered, and sailing in 6-8 foot waves, everything seems to be holding up well. Hopefully, the new bearings will last many more years. If or when they need replacement again, though, it should be easier… assuming the bearing design doesn’t change again!

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4 thoughts on “Catalina Rudder Bearing Replacement”

Do you spend time on the Catalina 400 Facebook page? Oh jeez, I practically live there! Sailing on hull 323, a 400 mkii and am planning a rudder bearings replacement upgrade soon/next haulout/Oct or sooner. Digging into this post as I spend time in the lazerattes and atop the aft bed with the ceiling molding pulled. If you don’t mind I’ll be sending a short video of my mid-bearing or mid-housing (remember, I’m just wrapping my head around the parts and nomenclature). More soon. Thanks. Instagram for us is beyond.the.bnb if you are curious. Cheers!

Hey Curt! Remember your MKII will likely have a significantly different steering system… probably a radial drive wheel rather than a quadrant like on my MKI. I think the bearings will work similar, though.

Great article. Any tips on how you removed the rudder bearing box cover? I removed the sealant in the gap around the cover but cannot lift or pry it out.

From what I remember, all I had to do to remove the cover was remove the sealant and unscrew the cover. There may be an extra layer of 4200 hiding deeper in the joint, so you might need a long blade or scraper to cut it.

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Discussion in ' Fiberglass and Composite Boat Building ' started by grady , Jul 23, 2015 .

grady Novice

Hey folks, I have a question on steering componets and various materials to make them. I'm currently removing the upper plate rudder bushing (bearing) which sits on a rudder shelf. On my twin engine diesel powered sporty. The old cast iron 4 bolted thing seemed to work fine just a little unsitely. but it has attached its self pretty good to the stainless rudder shaft. while looking for a replacement I found a company Tidesmarine that makes a bearing out of UHMW-PE which stands for ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene. UHMW is extremely durable, abrasion resistant and does not absorb water. It’s coefficient of friction (when water-lubricated) approximates that of Teflon in these bearing products. Any truth to this statement? These things any good? anyone using these with good results? here are links of both types Old: http://www.farmbearings.com/product-p/rcj 1-3-fslash-4 timken.htm New: https://www.tidesmarine.com/tides-marine/upper-rudder-bearing-std Thanks Tony G.  

Please forgive misplacement of post, it doesn't really fit into any category. Tony G.  

gonzo Senior Member

It is a very good material for bushings. I am not sure how it works as a ball bearing though. Seems like they would creep under constant load and deform.  

PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

UHMW and the other polyethylenes are indeed well suited bushings. I use HDPE and HMPE regularly, particularly to get their self lubricating properties. These types of plastics (and other polymers) are currently employed in most ball bearing blocks, track cars and other high load situations. Delrin, Celcon, Ramtal, Duracon are common brand names for acetal (polyoxymethylene or POM), which is the usual choice for high stiffness, low friction, resistant to deformation plastics, employed in this manner.  

Thanks guys...... good to know. Has anyone uses the bearings from Tidesmarine? any history on the company? can anyone recommend a brand. Thanks again Tony G  

Tidesmarine has been around for about 20 years and specializes in products that employ these high density plastics. I think much of their business is with the dripless shaft seals, but they have other products as well. If they weren't doing a fairly reasonable job, they'd have died a while back.  

Thanks Paul, I'll do some more research and see what I can find. Thanks Tony G.  

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What are your fears Tony? They're pretty well known in my area, but this just might be that they're local.  

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> > Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums. 29-01-2021, 17:49   Boat: Yankee 30' and plan to drop the and fix anything that needs attention in that department. When I bought my Yankee 30 in 1980, it was only 6 years old, but the already needed to be replaced. Which I did, built it using 316 SS stock, made a monel heel bearing insert for the bottom (mid skeg) to take up the play there, but don't remember what material or arangement was there where the rudders stock passes throught the . If I were to upgrade that bearing, would a cutless bearing make sense? The easiest for me would be to lay up (wind) some epoxy/fabric sleave and glass it in. But what material? Not of course, someting non-abrasive, low friction, long-wearing, non-swelling when perpetually wet. Any additives available for to make a good underwater bearing for a stainless shaft? (Graphite is probably out for reason of .) Or have a sleeve machined from something? Phenolic reinforced ? Only the best for my , don't want to have to go back there later. My previous, smaller sailboat had a spiral white nylon sleeve that miraculously stayed put for years. A larger versin of the nylon bushings used for the control lever shafts on pedestals. 29-01-2021, 18:54   Boat: Jon Sayer 1-off 46 ft fract rig sloop strip plank in W Red Cedar yacht some years ago that used a cutless bearing in that application. It had shown zero wear over a number of years (now forgotten) and he was quite happy with it. Seems a practical and useful idea to me! Getting the alignment spot on and the clearances correct are both important in reducing friction, no matter what bearing material is used... and a very low friction is a joy to steer! Many of the plastic bearing materials do slowly absorb and then swell up a bit. When enclosed in a rigid tube, the internal diameter is reduced and the shaft is seized over time. Had that on our previous and it required reaming out every few years. PITA! Jim PS I never dropped the rudder on my Y-30 so can't help with historical data. 29-01-2021, 20:06   Boat: Yankee 30' bushinng long ago glassed in at the top (through the seat), the cutless will self-align as it is being gently glassed in. Yes, my original lasted almost 40 years, almost frictionless and no play. Tiller steered, always easy on the . 29-01-2021, 20:11   Boat: Compass 790 , 7.9 metres or 26 ft good as it has been used as a cutlass bearing. it as I dont know suppliers 29-01-2021, 20:49   Boat: BUILT!!! Roberts Mauritius 43ft and sounds familiar. 30-01-2021, 00:01   Boat: Jon Sayer 1-off 46 ft fract rig sloop strip plank in W Red Cedar bushinng long ago glassed in at the top (through the seat), the cutless will self-align as it is being gently glassed in. Yes, my original lasted almost 40 years, almost frictionless and no play. Tiller steered, always easy on the . 30-01-2021, 00:58   Boat: Island Packet 40 , durable, low friction, does not take up and swell. 30-01-2021, 04:42   Boat: Last boat: 2008 Dix 43 CC, steel, 43 ft good as it has been used as a cutlass bearing. it as I dont know USA suppliers 30-01-2021, 09:35   Boat: Cal 31 sloop and having designed large moving structures such as gangplanks and also lots of machinery that is washed down several times a day, I learned about bearings for water . Bearings are readily available through local bearing/ industrial part supply houses generally much cheaper than a supply source. IGUS brand makes versions specially for SS shafts under water. Another generic material is PEEK which several suppliers manufacture- specifically versions for shafting. Still other brands making water bearings to look at are ORKOT, Rulon, and Kamatics. Depending on shaft size, flange requirements, design details, and availability, any of these will do a great job. Any of these should provide lower friction and last longer than than bronze. Any should last much longer and carry higher unit loads (lbs/sq. inch) than ultra high density or ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHD or UHMW). And there is no to worry about. 30-01-2021, 09:39   trough tube upper and lower. Good luck 30-01-2021, 10:35   Boat: CAL-2 30' . They used Delrin for bushings. 30-01-2021, 10:49   Boat: ‘01 Catana 401 30-01-2021, 11:24   Boat: Morgan Classic 33 30-01-2021, 11:51   Boat: Yankee 30' , as far as Oslo the first time and the second. Raced her a lot, with good results, recently often singlehanded. Exactly, very well behaved even in wild conditions, and a witch in light air ( I use some large .) 30-01-2021, 11:54   Boat: 50ft Custom Fast Catamaran Thread Tools Rate This Thread : Posting Rules post new threads post replies post attachments edit your posts is are code is are are are Similar Threads Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post dennisail Construction, Maintenance & Refit 35 07-09-2016 16:55 redpointist Construction, Maintenance & Refit 6 19-03-2015 06:14 stevensuf Construction, Maintenance & Refit 4 19-10-2012 12:07 Shanaly Construction, Maintenance & Refit 2 21-08-2012 04:29 Shanaly Construction, Maintenance & Refit 7 18-05-2012 09:21 - - - - - - - Privacy Guaranteed - your email is never shared with anyone, opt out any time. Forums New posts Unanswered threads Register Top Posts Email What's new New posts New Posts (legacy) Latest activity New media Media New media New comments Boat Info Downloads Weekly Quiz Topic FAQ 10000boatnames.com Classifieds Sell Your Boat Used Gear for Sale Parts General Marine Parts Hunter Beneteau Catalina MacGregor Oday Help Terms of Use Monday Mail Subscribe Monday Mail Unsubscribe How do you lube the rudder bearings? Thread starter John Rushing Start date Mar 10, 2015 Hunter Owner Forums John Rushing Has anyone out there figured out how to lube the rudder bearings without dropping the rudder? My quadrent and chain are not the problem. I think the bearings need a little grease. I can't seem to find an access point on the rudder post where this would be done. Anyone tackled this problem? Thanks, John   Don't think you need to lube it. Plastic bearings, just replace after 20 years   ice breaker Bill Roosa said: Don't think you need to lube it. Plastic bearings, just replace after 20 years Click to expand Rudder Bearings Hi John, our model is different, but Hunter likely used the same bearing material for your model. Contact Hunter Marine Customer Service for clarification. Don Martin with Hunter Marine Customer Service provided me with the following information about our 1991 P42. I've edited his response a bit for clarity: The rudder bearings are sleeves that are made from UHMW material. The sleeves do not require any lubricate. There is no adjustment on these bearings. If they develop too much side-to-side play then the bearings would need to be replaced. Anything over 1/8th inch play would be considered outside of tolerance and the bearing would need to be replaced. In another e-mail to Don I asked him whether it was a matter of dropping the rudder and popping the old bearing out or did it require special tools? He said that after the rudder is removed you should be able to remove the bearings by driving the top bearing out and from the underside of the boat you should be able to insert something like a 1 x 2 up into the rudder tube and there should be a ridge at the bottom of the top bearing, you should be able to get the 1 x 2 on this ridge and drive the bearing up. This would be reverse for the bottom bearing. Grab the bottom of the rudder and push/pull side-to-side to determine any play. I've never had the need to try this, but a marine surveyor suggested to cut a piece of teflon sheet to size that will fit around the rudder shaft at the bearing. Drop the rudder just enough to insert this teflon shim. This should reduce the play and extend the life of the bearing.   Terry Cox said: Hi John, our model is different, but Hunter likely used the same bearing material for your model. Contact Hunter Marine Customer Service for clarification. Don Martin with Hunter Marine Customer Service provided me with the following information about our 1991 P42. I've edited his response a bit for clarity: The rudder bearings are sleeves that are made from UHMW material. The sleeves do not require any lubricate. There is no adjustment on these bearings. If they develop too much side-to-side play then the bearings would need to be replaced. Anything over 1/8th inch play would be considered outside of tolerance and the bearing would need to be replaced. In another e-mail to Don I asked him whether it was a matter of dropping the rudder and popping the old bearing out or did it require special tools? He said that after the rudder is removed you should be able to remove the bearings by driving the top bearing out and from the underside of the boat you should be able to insert something like a 1 x 2 up into the rudder tube and there should be a ridge at the bottom of the top bearing, you should be able to get the 1 x 2 on this ridge and drive the bearing up. This would be reverse for the bottom bearing. Grab the bottom of the rudder and push/pull side-to-side to determine any play. I've never had the need to try this, but a marine surveyor suggested to cut a piece of teflon sheet to size that will fit around the rudder shaft at the bearing. Drop the rudder just enough to insert this teflon shim. This should reduce the play and extend the life of the bearing. Click to expand Hunter legend collabsa John Rushing said: Thanks to everyone for the quick response. I will look into it. J Click to expand This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies. Accept Learn more… 446 IMAGES Hobie Rudder Bushing ILCA rudder bush set Rudder Bushing Assembly Laser Performance Rudder Bushing Laser DuraBlue Composite Rudder Bushing Rudder Bushing VIDEO Skeg and Rudder Sanding, Rudder and Engine 1981 Explorer 45 ketch sailboat rudder and prop shaft repairs Welding and Rudder DIY How to make a Sunfish Rudder Rudder pedals fabrication in aircraft ( Ultra Light) COMMENTS PDF DuraBlue Composite Rudder Bushing Duramax Marine® Contact Information: For information on products, technical support, or for help solving a maintenance problem contact a Duramax Marine® Professional at: Duramax Marine® LLC 17990 Great Lakes Parkway Hiram, Ohio 44234 U.S.A. PHONE: 440-834-5400. FAX: 800-497-9283 USA & Canada [email protected]. www.DuramaxMarine.com. Rudder bushing material? Delrin, PTFE, UHWM, VHF, CIA Here's a iisting and solutions offered by the P26 folks as regards this common (delrin) rudder bushing issue, etc. Such may be helpful to you on your non-Pearson 26/30 boat that has this rudder bushing configuration. Rudder Bushing Repair Details - Pearson 26 Rudder Bushing Consderations - Pearson 26 Rudder Bushing Repair Alternative - Pearson 26 Duramax Advanced Bearings: DuraBlue Greaseless Rudder Bushing Duramax Marine, the world leader in water lubricated bearing technology, offers an engineered, dimensionally stable rudder bushing and thrust washer designed to outperform competitive products. DuraBlue needs no lubrication and is exceptionally wear-resistant, with an extremely long wear life. DuraBlue composite material has a low coefficient ... Rudder Bushings Delrin Head Bushing is 3" OD x 3/16" thick, and fits between the upper bushing and the Rudder Head. As used on some early Pearson 26's and 30's. Rudder Bushing Set for undersize 2 3/8" OD Rudder Shaft. 3-Piece Set includes (2) Flange Bushings and (1) Head Bushing. Turned Delrin Flange Bushings are 2.350" ID x 2 5/8" OD and 1 1/4" long below the ... PYI Inc. Jefa rudder bearings offer the utmost in feel and durability. Utilizing captive roller bearings in rugged aluminum housings, there is a full range of sizes and styles including self aligning bearings to suit all sizes of sailboats. Sizes are available from 30mm to 260mm for production and custom applications. Vesconite Marine Bearings and Bushings Vesconite Marine. Vesconite is ideal for many marine applications. First tested as a stern tube bearing in 1977, it is suited to both dry and immersed applications - in fact water is an excellent coolant and lubricant. Vesconite is extensively used for rudder and stern tube bearings. Vesconite's internal lubricants make it eminently suited ... rudder bushing material, loads Lower bushing was made up of two 1" high pieces and 3 1.5" high pieces, all of about 2.7" ID and 3.3" OD. Upper bushing looks like a mushroom cap on which the aluminum stock-to-tiller set block rides. The hole through the mushroom cap is about 1.5" ID, 2.5" OD, and the cap diameter is about 4". Some criteria I would like from this material: rudder bushing replacement So be prepared to have the boat on the hard until the new bearings come in. And be sure of your measurements.u000bu000bHint: Remove the rudder while the boat is in the slings. Otherwise wou will have to dig a hole to remove it. You'll have to dig a hole, anyway, to replace it, but it'll be easier to dig if the rudder's not in the way. Rudder Bushing Material Join Date: Mar 2003. Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario - 48-29N x 89-20W. Boat: (Cruiser Living On Dirt) Posts: 49,708. Images: 241. Re: Rudder Bushing Material. Delrin or POM-H (homopolymer aceta l) is part of the POM material family, the other POM being copolymer acetal (POM-C). PDF DryMax Rudder Sealing System 5" - 36" diameter (89-900mm)DryMax® is a robust and reliable hydrodynamic rudder seal system constructed of the highest quality materials designed. o deliver long service life. DryMax® Sealing System was engineered, tested and built. y Duramax Marine in the USA.This axial system provides excellent sealing and can accommodate large increases ... Jefa Rudder Rudders. Jefa rudder bearings offer the utmost in feel and durability. Utilizing captive roller bearings in rugged aluminum housings, there is a full range of sizes and styles including self aligning bearings to suit all sizes of sailboats. Sizes are available from 30mm to 260mm for production and custom applications. The Rudimentaries of Rudders Walking around a boatyard one day and measuring a few cruising sailboat rudders, I came up with aspect ratios of between 1.7 and 2.1, while one high-performance sailing vessel's rudder came in at 3.5. ... (fiberglass and core material) rudder blades and beneath flax-type stuffing-box packing (the problem is exacerbated when the vessel is used ... P26 Rudder bushing replacement I replaced the bushings on my '75 P26 two winters ago, with replacements from D&R. My rudder had been replaced by the previous owner with a FossFoam rudder - Stainless Steel shaft. I too found that the inner diameter of the new bushings was smaller than the outer diameter of the shaft.u000bu000bI used a dremel tool to remove only a small amount ... Rudder stock bushings I pulled the rudder on my S2 9.2 c because of leakage (inside the boat) and some side play at the lower part of the rudder. I found only one plastic bushing at the very top of the shaft not even inside the tube. The packing gland is hard (maybe that's the reason for the leak). Rudder bushing help I am in the process of renovating my steering system and am having a hard time determining what rudder bushing if any to use. The boat is a 1969 rawson 30 that originally had a bronze rudder tube extending from the bottom if the boat up through the cockpit.The stainless steel rudder post is 1.250" in diameter and the ID of the bronze rudder tube is 1.3555", so there is just over 1/10 ... Rudder Repair Cut the opening to a smooth circular or oval shape, and grind a 12:1 bevel around the edge of the fiberglass. Grind back the fiberglass skin at least 1/2″ from the rudder post on all sides. Grind or cut the core around the post at a 45 degree angle back to the post. Dry the area with heat lamps or heat guns if necessary. PM&I: Bearings for Propeller and Rudder Shaft: How to Choose A Molded Rubber Rudder Bushings: Lubrication: Water. Material: Nitrile Rubber. Placement: Rudder Shaft. Size: 1 1/2 to 9 inch shafts. Advantage: Cost Savings. Disadvantage: None . Nitrile rubber bushings are a rudder shaft bearing material that can withstand the high impact in rudder applications. Rudder bearing material We have spade rudders. The upper bearings are fine but the lower bearings are really too small, so we're increasing the shaft diameter (sleeving the shaft) & replacing the old (very worn) bottom bearing. The old bearings were self aligning (spherical, with a big hole for the rudder shaft) but I see no point in that so we're going with a 4" high ... Catalina Rudder Bearing Replacement To facilitate future replacement, I used 5200 only on the bottom flange, NONE on the sides that go 2 ¼" into the rudder tube. There are screws that hold the bottom bearing in place, too. With a hull thickness of 1 to 2 inches in this area, I used 1 ¼" long screws since the bearing flange is ½" thick. When I first replaced the bottom ... materials The old cast iron 4 bolted thing seemed to work fine just a little unsitely. but it has attached its self pretty good to the stainless rudder shaft. while looking for a replacement I found a company Tidesmarine that makes a bearing out of UHMW-PE which stands for ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene. Rudder Bearing Replacement, Hunter 35.5 Aug 15, 2013. 193. Hunter 35.5 Legend 003 San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico. Jan 19, 2014. #1. So it looks like rudder bearing replacement is in the future for me. what to use for rudder stock bearing Re: what to use for rudder stock bearing. High density polyethylene (black poly) is a good material for applications where heat buildup is not a consideration. Readily available, cheap, durable, low friction, does not take up water and swell. __________________. Satiriker ist verboten, la conformité est obligatoire. How do you lube the rudder bearings? Grab the bottom of the rudder and push/pull side-to-side to determine any play. I've never had the need to try this, but a marine surveyor suggested to cut a piece of teflon sheet to size that will fit around the rudder shaft at the bearing. Drop the rudder just enough to insert this teflon shim. catamaran gulet motorboat powerboat riverboat sailboat trimaran yacht