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Rudder Leek Alabama Help

Discussion in 'Chris Craft Roamer Yacht' started by jimparkslist, Mar 22, 2007.

  1. jimparkslist, Mar 22, 2007
    #1
    jimparkslist

    jimparkslist New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 27, 2005
    Messages:
    1
    Location:
    huntsville alabama
    HELLO ALL I HAVE 1959 35ft ROAMER STEEL HULL WITH RUDDER PROB. IF BOAT OUT OF WATER COULD I REPLACE RUDDER HOUSING WITH SOMETHING NEW/BETTER??? NEEDS RE PACKING,BUT AFRAID IT WILL CRUMBLE IN HAND.
    THANK YOU VERY MUCH JIM
  2. 9lives, Mar 23, 2007
    #2
    9lives

    9lives Member

    Joined:
    Nov 30, 2004
    Messages:
    95
    Location:
    Lake Superior
    Rudder help

    Jim,
    I cannot offer advice based on the premise that I have actually done this, but my thoughts along this line are based on personal obsevations of a neighboring Roamer who has reworked his rudder stems and the past advive from Jim Wick of LPX sales. Not to mention the need to fix my own boat!

    1st my understanding is that a steel hull can be repaired fairly easy out of the water so I do not see why the tube section cannot be cut out and replaced with a similar material that will last as long as the original.

    On my aluminum roamer I found that the brass packing nut and aluminum threaded rudder tube had reacted (water leaking by also) because of dissimilar materials and that the aluminum threads had nearly dissapeared. I don't expect that to be your case with brass and the steel tube. The fix for our boats was a redesign of the tube height so that the top of the tube was actually above the waterline. When Chris Craft made this change in 1970 or so Jim also said they bored out the lower part of the tube to accept a biplex strut bearing so that the rudder was supported by the rubber in the bushing. If I was making a change I would try and incorporate an idea like that. If the steering arms are keyed onto the rudder shaft high enough to allow for this I would replace with a tube that ends above the waterline. Almost forgot! Jim mentioned that a grease fitting was incorporated at near the same time and should also be installed probably as near the biplex bushing as possible??

    Good Luck
    Mark