Ive read a few threads about this, however im not sure if I remove the bolt to fix up the slop, will the rudder fall off?

This would be bad as Im on a swing mooring.

Plan is to remove bolt and re-drill or bush.

Just dont want to have to call a diver to collect rudder.

Cant think the entire rudder mechanism hangs on by this one bolt which is deteriorating rapidly?Cheers
Ed

Unfortunately it might - On my Farr the rudder shaft is held in by one 5/16 transverse bolt. If you're going to remove the bolt tie some seat belt webbing under the rudder blade and tie off to your stern cleats - just to be sure!

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Cav30 said..
Ive read a few threads about this, however im not sure if I remove the bolt to fix up the slop, will the rudder fall off?

This would be bad as Im on a swing mooring.

Plan is to remove bolt and re-drill or bush.

Just dont want to have to call a diver to collect rudder.

Cant think the entire rudder mechanism hangs on by this one bolt which is deteriorating rapidly?Cheers
Ed

Is it a skeg hung rudder? If so it is the same as MB and you can take the tiller off without a problem. If it is a spade rudder held on by that bolt, sell the boat. :-)
I doubt it is held on by the tiller, Cavs are good boats.

Hi Cav,
Looks very similar to mine. See link for removal.

pekeri.com/cgi-sys/suspendedpage.cgi?easy-photo-album=tools-and-rudder-removal

Regards

A Cav 30 is a Cav 28 with the stern extended.

Cav 28 has a transom hung rudder.

Cav 30 has a spade rudder.

Best follow ecan's advice and capture it with something before you extract the bolt.

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cisco said..
A Cav 30 is a Cav 28 with the stern extended.

Cav 28 has a transom hung rudder.

Cav 30 has a spade rudder.

Best follow ecan's advice and capture it with something before you extract the bolt.

Surely the rudder is held in place with thrust bearings on the rudder post in the hull fixings. My positive view of Cavs will be seriously undermined if the rudder is held in place by that single bolt.

Yep I would say the same as Pekeri. I will have a look for that pin in your picture 7. If it's there then I reckon I'm safe. Many thanks Pek.

Ed

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Cav30 said..
Ive read a few threads about this, however im not sure if I remove the bolt to fix up the slop, will the rudder fall off?

This would be bad as Im on a swing mooring.

Plan is to remove bolt and re-drill or bush.

Just dont want to have to call a diver to collect rudder.

Cant think the entire rudder mechanism hangs on by this one bolt which is deteriorating rapidly?Cheers
Ed

If it doesn't have a pin holding it in place I'd seriously think about drilling a hole and putting a pin through it myself just so I'd feel more secure that if the bolt came loose out at sea the entire rudder wouldn't fall off, but that's just the way I think.

The rudder may not drop off even if the single bolt came undone. Mine's held in by a single bolt of about 3/8". It's easy to pull it out and check the condition of the bolt because despite having a 2" ss shaft, the rudder floats. Quite a few other rudders have positive buoyancy.

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Chris 249 said..
The rudder may not drop off even if the single bolt came undone. Mine's held in by a single bolt of about 3/8". It's easy to pull it out and check the condition of the bolt because despite having a 2" ss shaft, the rudder floats. Quite a few other rudders have positive buoyancy.

That's true Chris but there are a lot of Fibreglass rudders out there full of water. With my old yacht I made a net to fit under the rudder to catch it as it slid down. When I refit it it once again it had positive buoyancy and was not all that easy to line up. The positive buoyancy was a hindrance!

Yep, I have to lash some anchor chain around mine to give it negative buoyancy to get it in and out, and arrange the lines to allow it to float the right way up so it can be lined up correctly. Fun job!

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Chris 249 said..
Yep, I have to lash some anchor chain around mine to give it negative buoyancy to get it in and out, and arrange the lines to allow it to float the right way up so it can be lined up correctly. Fun job!

that reminds me of this:

Can't you just stick a G clamp around the head, tighten up the clamp and remove the bolt? The G clamp will keep that part firmly attached to the pivot, while you remove the bolt / do what you have to do.

Might be another option for inspection at least.

Sorry this is sideways but thankfully you can see another large bolt. So it's safe to remove the tiller. I'm going to re bush or possibly very slightly larger bolt.
ed