| rudder removal
Now "That's a Tuffy".
My 58 alum has steel rudders and shafts - siezed tight. Funny how those little grease zerks go unattended for years.
Not that this is the best way, but it worked for me. About a month of penetrating oil from the top and heat on the tube to help the oil. Banging on the tube also helps. I thought that was just to relieve frustration but an 80 year old machinist told me to do it. The vibration helps the oil travel.
Now - the muscle. I took a loop of sturdy chain about 3 feet long, go around the rudder stock above the rudder. Let the loop hang on the in-board side; place - rather ballance a big hydraulic jack in the loop and place a block of wood on the hull above it (put a steel plate between the jack and wood). Start jacking. Stop when you feel the side torque on the rudder is getting critical. My rudders have 1.25 inch posts, so they'll take a bunch of push. Go back inside and bang on the tube. I would left the stress on the jack for days. It would move just enough to relieve the jack. re-apply pressure.
I also rigged a torsion arm to twist the rudder. Once the jack showed any sign of moving the rudder down I twisted the rudder back and forth - 1/4 inch at first, then more and more. The rotation helped free things up. This was a 2 week project - a little each day.
Even though I have the boat blocked high, I had to dig 8 inch holes below the rudders to get them out. How are you're rudder logs? The bronze ate the aluminum on mine.
If your steering gearbox is bumhoolied, I've got one for ya, vintage 1970.
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