While transiting the Cape Cod Canal, I noticed that there was a period of time as I approached the fuel dock when there appeared to be no steering. The steering appeared to be work a few moments later so I attributed to unfamiliarity with the boat (i.e. maybe I need to turn the wheel more to get a response).
About an hour later and 4-5 miles off-shore, the steering was definitely not working. I dove into the cockpit lockers and under the cockpit sole to take a look. There I found that the coupling that keeps the pedestal shaft gears and the rudder shaft rack together had parted. We were able to fashioned a temporary coupling out of hose clamps just in time before the squalls hit.
I will show a picture of the fashioned replacement part in the spring.
About an hour later and 4-5 miles off-shore, the steering was definitely not working. I dove into the cockpit lockers and under the cockpit sole to take a look. There I found that the coupling that keeps the pedestal shaft gears and the rudder shaft rack together had parted. We were able to fashioned a temporary coupling out of hose clamps just in time before the squalls hit.
I will show a picture of the fashioned replacement part in the spring.
MARINE SURVEYOR: This one really upset me. The surveyor spent a good amount of time looking over and testing the steering system. He noted a "strap" that was inhibiting the rudder from turning the full range to port. He recommended removing the "strap" to allow for full range since there were rudder stops also available.
What he did not realize was that the "strap" was in fact the broken coupling. The steering system was broken when he inspected it. The rudder end of the coupling had seized to the rudder post due to corrosion and lack of grease and the connecting bracket had suffered metal fatigue over the course of having been twisted each time the rudder was turned. The pedestal end of the coupling worked fine but when the wheel was turn, the coupling had to flex since the rudder end was seized.
What was ironic was that the surveyor made the comment after coming out from inspecting the steering that you should not trust an overweight surveyor. They won't look in the hard to get to places. Well, he did look at it and didn't know what he was looking at...
OWNERS REPRESENTATIONS: If he did know anything about it, he didn't say anything. The coupling looked like it was a post production part and/or had been repaired in the past but there is no way of knowing if it predated the owner although he owned the boat for 20 years.
What he did not realize was that the "strap" was in fact the broken coupling. The steering system was broken when he inspected it. The rudder end of the coupling had seized to the rudder post due to corrosion and lack of grease and the connecting bracket had suffered metal fatigue over the course of having been twisted each time the rudder was turned. The pedestal end of the coupling worked fine but when the wheel was turn, the coupling had to flex since the rudder end was seized.What was ironic was that the surveyor made the comment after coming out from inspecting the steering that you should not trust an overweight surveyor. They won't look in the hard to get to places. Well, he did look at it and didn't know what he was looking at...
OWNERS REPRESENTATIONS: If he did know anything about it, he didn't say anything. The coupling looked like it was a post production part and/or had been repaired in the past but there is no way of knowing if it predated the owner although he owned the boat for 20 years.
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