How Bad is This?

[Craig_b]

How bad is this and can it be fixed?

Im kinda hoping it supposed to look like this but i doubt it.

 

[sean9c]

You could help everyone by telling us what we're looking at

How bad is this and can it be fixed?

Im kinda hoping it supposed to look like this but i doubt it.

 

[Craig_b]

There is a curl at the bottom of the rudder.

1980 CHB PT 38

 

[rslifkin]

That rudder is definitely bent. I'd say it's been backed into something pretty solid or was damaged during a haulout.

 

[Max1]

I am sure it can be bent back.

First question is: "Do you want to do it yourself or pay someone to fix it?"

I'm currently working on replacing my rudder. A very similar style to yours.

If you have a giant adjustable wrench, you can clamp it on the curved end and gently persuade it back in increments. My biggest adjustable is just shy of 2' long and would easily do the job.

You can also have the rudder removed and hammered back using a 2lb sledge.

 

[Steve1.0]

A machine (prop) shop with a big enough press should be able to straighten that. If its' made of aluminum that might be a problem though as alum can be kinda brittle.They could cut off the bend and weld a new piece in place, or just leave it. That small bit won't affect performance too much.

I would be more concerned with damage to the linkages inboard.

Must have been a good thumpin'.

 

[O C Diver]

Not difficult with a hydraulic press. You're basically pressing the center of the curve. The high points on the opposite side need to be elevated as you need to over press it as there will be some spring back.

Ted

 

[Conrad]

My biggest concern would be the rest of the rudder system; there could be internal damage to the rudder post etc.

 

[jleonard]

If it were mine, I would take the rudder out and check everything oout to make sure nothing else got damaged.
In the mean time I'd take that picture to a machine shop or prop shop and ask how they would straighten it out. I would want to know if they think it needs to be heated before bending. I never played around with cast bronze and would want to know that before trying.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. Cb. Make a mirror image of the bend and stick it on. Voila. A semi-fishtail rudder.

 

[psneeld]

If it were mine, I would take the rudder out and check everything oout to make sure nothing else got damaged.
In the mean time I'd take that picture to a machine shop or prop shop and ask how they would straighten it out. I would want to know if they think it needs to be heated before bending. I never played around with cast bronze and would want to know that before trying.

Exactly my same advice.

 

[High Wire]

Agree with machine shop, prop shop, or even a welding shop. You don't even need a hydraulic press. A mechanical bearing press has enough guts to bend that straight.

 

[boomerang]

If there was no damage to anything but a bent piece of the rudder, I'd take a 6lb maul and hold it against the back side and bang it back into shape with a 3lb maul. If it breaks, so what. It's doubtful that little piece would have any effect on the steering performance. It probably doesn't even have an effect on the performance bent like it is now.

 

[Benthic2]

I would start with a big "C" clamp and a foot of angle iron see if you can make any progress with that. I'd also try to soften it a little with a torch before applying pressure.

 

[Lepke]

If it were mine, I would take the rudder out and check everything out to make sure nothing else got damaged.

Exactly.


With heat you could bend it back in place. But it took a lot of force to make that bend. The bearings, seal and whatever controls the rudder could be damaged. You don't want a steering failure at an inconvenient place.

 

[kapnd]

If you decide to pound on it while in place, disconnect the steering linkage to avoid damaging those mechanisms.
Agree with JLeonard, I’d remove it completely to check for bent shafts or damaged bearing/bushings.

 

[Art]

First - Was it already that way when you purchased the boat?

Second - Have you cruised much at all with it that way? If so... notice any odd steering circumstance at any speed while in forward or reverse?

Third - It almost looks like the "gently contoured" bend may have been purposefully accomplished by heat and a grip device?? Therefore... was previous owner attempting to at least somewhat correct prop walk while in reverse?

Strange indeed!! And, I'd think that to hit something hard enough to create that bend unintentionally there would be other problems with the rudder shaft as well as skeg misalignment. Seems to me... only by going in reverse at high speed could the impact be hard enough and in the correct direction to do that substancial bend.

Please keep us informed - Thanks! Art

 

[FF]

You might consider , after you bend it back straight to drill a hole in it.

The hole should be large enough 3/8 or 1/2 inch to install a shackle in it.

Should you loose steering attaching lines to the rudder will be greatly simplified.

 

[Sailor of Fortune]

I bet she turns really well to port..

 

[psneeld]

Having bent 2 or 3 rudder shafts ( and seen a few more done) while operating an assistance towboat in shallows, believe me when I say it's not hard to bend or curl bronze rudders, shafts or proprs. ....or even Bronze rudders that had stainless shafts.

Granted they were all in a oarticular model boat, so not all rudders would be exactly the same, but Bronze and stainless seem to bend pretty easy when involved with large masses contacting immovable (or difficult to) move objects.

Some shafts were bent back on a hydraulic press, others tossed due to the more complex bends. Eyeballing that bends ays to me heat me or break me off and braze on new material. Something good prop shops could handle.

 

[kapnd]

There’s no way that is an intentional bend!
It would do nothing to counteract prop walk, and if it were a trim tab, why would it just be on the bottom corner?
It does need to be fixed, or at least cut off, because it is creating drag by interrupting the flow over the rudder, and will eventually show cavitation erosion.
The dude backed into something solid, and bent the crap out of the rudder.

 

[Craig_b]

Thanks for all the replies.
Its been that way since i purchased the boat and had considered that it may have been done on purpose to compensate for something or it just took a wallop.
The boat steers but I really wouldnt know if it steers well or not.
I personally put around 400 NM on it from The Exumas to Florida.

At this point im going to just leave it alone for now.

 

[Art]

Thanks for all the replies.
Its been that way since i purchased the boat and had considered that it may have been done on purpose to compensate for something or it just took a wallop.
The boat steers but I really wouldnt know if it steers well or not.
I personally put around 400 NM on it from The Exumas to Florida.

At this point im going to just leave it alone for now.

If you can check the rudder post that comes through-hull into bilge and all seems OK... then leaving as is is surely an option. I doubt that bend affects fuel use and nmph much at all doing displacement cruise speed. After 400 NM trip with no ill affects... it sort of sounds steady as she goes will suffice at least for a while - until chance to haul and repair. Be careful. Repeat checks on through-hull rudder post would be good idea!

Best Luck! - Art

 

[D.Duck44]

It may be just as easy to attack it with a cutting disk and remove the bent area if you think you will not be removing too much rudder area.

 

[Slider70]

Bent Rudder

Just went through dealing with my bent rudder port side on my vessel. It is a Bayliner 3870 with the strut, prop and rudder mounted in a half tunnel.

I had picked up a chunk of wood that lodged between the prop & the side wall of the tunnel. Very ugly. Prop had one blade damaged, the strut was bent, as was the rudder. Pulled everything to check degree of damage and do repairs or replacement.

Drive shaft was OK, but replaced the cutlass, strut trued up in a press along with the rudder. Prop was repaired in a prop shop. Along with other concerns I wanted a look at the rudder shaft and its stuffing box as it was a nasty clunk from driving the prop into the hull in the half tunnel cutting a 1/2" deep slice in the hull

Your rudder should be able to be trued with a press and a knowledgeable mechanic. Like others have commented I would be concerned with any potential damage that may have happened in your rudder shaft. So checking is fairly cheap insurance in my mind.

 

[Sweet marie]

Bent rudder

I used a 36” pipe wrench and a cheater pipe to fix a stainless steel rudder in much worse shape. I hit an unmarked tuna pen going at a pretty good clip.Use equal leverage in the opposite direction if possible to avoid causing damage upstream. Another option is to let it be. At displacement speeds I can imagine it would have much of an impact from drag or steering issues.

 

[Capt Dan]

How bad is this and can it be fixed?

Im kinda hoping it supposed to look like this but i doubt it.

Maybe just saw it off with a cutting wheel. Like someone else said, that lower portion may have little effect on ur steering.

 

[backinblue]

Exactly.


With heat you could bend it back in place. But it took a lot of force to make that bend. The bearings, seal and whatever controls the rudder could be damaged. You don't want a steering failure at an inconvenient place.

Is there a convenient place to have a steering failure? lol

 

[Art]

Is there a convenient place to have a steering failure? lol

Maybe... as lift straps become taught?

 

[psneeld]

Like some things in life, not totally, but more or less convenient.