Lost rudder on my Typhoon!

Weekender74 · Post by **Weekender74** » Oct 20th, '08, 10:20

Oh man-

I was sailing up to a pier to pick up my fiance yesterday and all of a sudden lost steerage. Yep, no rudder.

I jumped in to dive for it but haven't found it. I felt where the rudder should be, thinking that perhaps the glass just delaminated and there'd be metal fingers left, but there's nothing there!?!

I can also lift the rod that my tiller is attached to up a few inches from the sleeve that goes through the boat.

Does anyone have a suggestion here? Did I lose the whole rudder post? Is this a deal killer or is there a solution?

Obviously, I need to get the boat out of the water.

Weekender74 · Post by **Weekender74** » Oct 20th, '08, 10:27

My boat is a 1970, from what I understand.

Serge Zimberoff · Post by **Serge Zimberoff** » Oct 20th, '08, 14:56

Ben...
Do you mean a 'deal killer' as to your betrothed or your boat? (Just kidding I hope!)
To my knowledge the rudder shaft is one piece so that if you didn't feel anything below something is strange. Because the Ty rudder shaft rests in a lower bearing it would be possible that that bearing came away, but then the rudder and shaft would have had to broken off somewhere below to not have anything left to feel.
There are lots of old posts on how to rebuild the rudder that you can access once you get it out and see what's going on. My guess is that something happened to the lower bearing because to just have the whole rudder and the bronze attachment fingers disappear you should have felt it flop around a bit before losing it altogether.
Serge

Jerry Albright · Post by **Jerry Albright** » Oct 20th, '08, 15:29

Ben,

I have followed your posts and know this is a new boat for you, did it seem to steer funny before the failure ? did you have to over steer ? or turn the tiller way more than normal ? if so the rudder post could have been weak and Finally broken near the top of the rudder.
I am in Mobile and had a Pearson Commander that happened to, however I did not loose my rudder just steerage. Once I pulled the boat the problem was obvious, the rudder shaft was completely broken, and had to be replaced. I replaced the shaft myself and had to re-attach the rudder.
Feel free to give me a call if you would like to discuss, I will be glad to help any way I can. 478-9881

Jerry Albright
CD30 Cutter
Amazing Grace
Mobile, Al.

dugout · Post by **dugout** » Oct 20th, '08, 20:13

Ben,

You're toast! Call the insurance company and have them total it. I'll be down to get the salvage next week.

Seriously, give it a little time and OJ will be here to help. From what I can tell he is the TY rudder Guru. I bought a TY with the rudder already gone so we are in the same boat. OJ is a great guy!
You will be required to learn the lingo as this is the first requirement he will make. Maybe I have this correct:
The rudder post is what you still have connected to the cap at the top. The shaft is the glass tube in the hull the post runs through.
Okay that's all I know...

Ed

Oswego John · Post by **Oswego John** » Oct 20th, '08, 20:47

Ah Ed,

You amaze me, you remembered.

Help is on the way, but not right now. I'm watching Monday Night Football.

Later,
O J

Weekender74 · Post by **Weekender74** » Oct 21st, '08, 13:32

Thanks to all. I was pulling up to the pier, having been out sailing in 5-15 kt breeze. I did bump in some soft sand as I was coming to the pier. I decided to drop sails so I did a 180 head to wind. All of a sudden I lost steerage. I jumped into the cabin and grabbed some pliers, thinking that bolt below the tiller was loose, allowing it to freewheel, but that wasn't it. I could actually lift my tiller and what I assume is the rudder post or some sort of sleeve more likely, up out of the fiberglass shaft. I would have thought that there would be a bracket/hinge on the lower end of the rudder post (aft end of the keel) that keeps the post from falling off?

I jumped in, but the strange thing is that it seems like the whole post is gone- no fingers, no fiberglass or wood pieces left.

The good news is that it is only 3-4 feet deep there. I am going to scour the area tonight.

I towed the CD back to my marina with my powerboat and I guess I will have it hauled out for the 2nd time in two weeks.

I would be interested in hearing about the replacement. I can do glass work. I just really want to get this boat sailing asap so I can finish teaching fiance how to sail before our charter on Nov 16th- looks like we may have to wait on that!

Thanks, Ben

dugout · Post by **dugout** » Oct 21st, '08, 16:16

Weekender74 wrote:...I just really want to get this boat sailing asap so I can finish teaching fiance how to sail before our charter on Nov 16th- looks like we may have to wait on that! Thanks, Ben

Ben, one thing I've learned over the years is sailboats care not about time and schedules. Even if you find the rudder, which is worthwhile doing if for nothing but a pattern, putting it back is problematic. When you haul it you will see what happened and the layout of the post and lower grudgeon will be self evident. Why you can lift the post is because the rudder blade is probably gone and the post is stopping at the stub of the top rung of the "E" support. You will probably have a stub for each leg, 3, the post and nothing else. The permanent fix is not simple or fast, from what I understand, but it is do-able.

Oswego John · Post by **Oswego John** » Oct 23rd, '08, 00:48

Weekender74,

I am a notoriously slow typist. Last night I typed out a reply in regard to your missing rudder. Without exaggeration, I must have been typing for over a half an hour or a bit more. Just before I signed the post and submitted it, my monitor went dead. I lost everything that I had written.

My computer is plugged in to a surge limiter. It has multi AC outlets which are controlled by a combo swich and pilot light. Well, don't you know, after slaving over a hot keyboard all evening, The ^$@&# cat decides to plank her butt down on the switch and abort the entire program.

That cat was last seen doing 40 MPH, heading for the county line with me in hot pursuit. That is one lucky cat, knowing that my personal best is 38 MPH.

Weekender74, I'll be sending you a PM.
O J

Weekender74 · Post by **Weekender74** » Oct 23rd, '08, 09:13

THAT IS HILARIOUS!!!!!!!! I guess that is punishment for owning a cat. I had one, and then acquired a German Shepherd and a girlfriend about the same time, also with a cat. Let's just say that I still have the dog, but had to bury two cats and have an unpleasant chat with the girlfriend.

mike ritenour · Post by **mike ritenour** » Oct 23rd, '08, 14:35

Never liked cats....too large of a beam, too shallow of a draft, hard to come about and I hear they make terrible BBQ.

As for the 38MPH best, OJ.....I personally saw you doing 65mph in a Waterford establishment just this last spring.

Shudda gotten that puss, matey and hung 'er high.

Rit

Oswego John · Post by **Oswego John** » Oct 23rd, '08, 20:09

Big Mike,

No explanation needed. Ho ho. That was some trip.

O J

The Cape Dory Board

Lost rudder on my Typhoon!

Lost rudder on my Typhoon!

Ty Rudder

Lost Rudder,

Missing Rudder

Missing Rudder

Cats

Hee Hee