Rudder repair.

[Jim van Cleve]

I recently backed into a reef and buggered the rudder.
No visible damage underwater or at the rudder shaft
head but the helm now 30* to starboard when the rudder is
Centered.
Anyone know what is the internal structure of the rudder?
I would really like to know what to expect, before a expensive haul out.
Thanks in advance for any help
Pearson 35, 1968, #60.
Suva Fiji.

[catsketcher]

Gday Jim

The usual method is to use welded tangs onto the shaft and fill these in with foam or ply blanks and fair this up.

The rudder has to be removed and opened up - you can't get around that IF the tangs have failed at the welds.

BUT it may be that the head has shifted. If you are lucky then something went under the quadrant. Pull that off first, maybe the keyway sheared or something similar.

Otherwise you may be able to get someone with a hookah to undo a few bolts underwater and drop the rudder out on the water. It should be heapos cheaper than a haul out - but you still need a place to rebuild the rudder - but that could be anywhere.