Ring on rudder shaft
Printed From: myHanse.com
Category: Hints & Tips
Forum Name: 385/388
Forum Description: 385/388 Hints, Tips and News
URL: https://www.myhanse.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=10670
Printed Date: 27 March 2026 at 03:41
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Topic: Ring on rudder shaft
Posted By: Carlosailfan
Subject: Ring on rudder shaft
Date Posted: 15 March 2018 at 07:36
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Can someone tell me what the function is of the plastic ring, positioned around the rudder shaft, this prevents me to make a clear inspection of the shafts condition. Can i remove it ? The ring is a bit movable, up and down and spins free round. I checked a few other Hanse yachts and there was no ring ???  ------------- Best regards /C |
Replies:
Posted By: Gaia
Date Posted: 16 March 2018 at 17:53
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I can't tell you the purpose, but I have the same question. I have tried to figure the purpose of the ring since 2013 without any success. If someone knows and svare the knowledge I too will be happy. Kind regards Hanse 385 sailor from norway. ------------- The sailor from Lillesand, Norway |
Posted By: Gaia
Date Posted: 16 March 2018 at 17:58
Automatic norwegian spell checker creates trouble!!! Correction: svare means share. ------------- The sailor from Lillesand, Norway |
Posted By: samuel
Date Posted: 17 March 2018 at 08:09
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Theory!! On the underside of the Jefa bearing there is a plastic washer that clips in place. This is, presumably, to keep sand & grit, as well as marine growth, away from the bearing. On my boat this washer keeps coming adrift & dropping down. It could be (& this is only a guess) that the piece of tube is there to keep the washer in place ------------- Daydream Believer- Hanse 311- No GBR9917T- Bradwell Essex |
Posted By: Manyata
Date Posted: 19 March 2018 at 19:35
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The rings are spacers. Designed to stop the top of the rudder rubbing against the underside of the hull.
If you look at the top of the rudder post (remove the inspection hatch to get to the AP drive unit) - there is a metal ring with 3 grubs screws - this stops the rudder dropping down vertically - and the white plastic spacer rings are designed to stop it riding up and rubbing against the hull. You may be wondering how on earth the rudder (that heavy!) could move up? Jefa state the rudder on a 385 is 'buoyant' and will float. Hard to believe when the weight is some 52kg. But remarkably they are buoyant! So... Buoyant = it wants to rise in the water. The reality is - that if the bearings aren't cleaned - the rudder isn't going anywhere. It will not move 1mm !!! However if you clean the bearings it will have some movement. And cleaning the bearings has a remarkable affect on the weight of the helm. Note of caution - if you do drop the rudder to inspect for pitting on the stock (the only real way to check) - make sure you put the spacers back in the correct way round - one of them has a bevel - on one side - inside - the bevel allows the spacer to rub against the top of the rudder without rubbing away the sealant between the rudder post and top of the rudder. I drop my rudder every year when hauling out as part of annual maintenance. Its a quick job - and worth doing (especially given the issues / care required around the antifouling at the top of the rudder). The bottom bearing gets really clogged (and I mean CLOGGED!) with sea gunk - and you will not believe the difference when you clean it out each year. Quite literally - the helm becomes lighter - spins with your little finger. And the AMPs drawn by the AP crashes through the floor. Hope that helps. Regards Tim |
Posted By: samuel
Date Posted: 19 March 2018 at 19:53
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On my boat the metal ring fits tight under the top bearing to stop the rudder floating up. You are correct about it floating. Somewhere on this forum Johan Hackman posted a video of him trying to submerge his rudder in the water & it kept floating upwards. ------------- Daydream Believer- Hanse 311- No GBR9917T- Bradwell Essex |
Posted By: Johan Hackman
Date Posted: 20 March 2018 at 07:00
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I recall discussing this spacer many many years ago. I believe the conclusion was that the spacer is totally superflouos. On my tiller-steered 342 the rudder stock is locked vertically by the tiller head on top of the top bearing and the locking ring under the said bearing. As the rudder has a buoyancy it is only the locking ring under the top bearing that gets to work (and where you can detect any chafe). Here's the video Sam mentioned. Johan -------------  http://www.johanhackman.se" rel="nofollow - http://www.johanhackman.se |
Posted By: Johan Hackman
Date Posted: 20 March 2018 at 07:06
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Below is a picture of the steering assembly on my boat. From left to right you see the tiller, the tiller head that the tiller is attached to, the top bearing, the locking ring and (at the end of the stock) the bottom bearing. There is no spacer involved but if you look closely you will see a delrin washer between the upper bearing and the locking ring. I thought this could be interesting to share. Johan  ------------- http://www.johanhackman.se" rel="nofollow - http://www.johanhackman.se |
Posted By: Manyata
Date Posted: 20 March 2018 at 07:46
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Hi Johan If the 342 has a locking ring on the underside of the tiller head (to stop the rudder moving up) - there will be no spacers - if they were installed they would be superfluous - as there is no need for them on a 342. However, the 385 does not have a locking ring under the top bearing. So it does need spacers. Regards Tim |
Posted By: Johan Hackman
Date Posted: 20 March 2018 at 07:58
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Well, I don't know exactly how the steering assembly looks on a wheel-steered boat so you are probably right. Johan ------------- http://www.johanhackman.se" rel="nofollow - http://www.johanhackman.se |
Posted By: Carlosailfan
Date Posted: 22 March 2018 at 15:28
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Hereby the official statement of JEFA: The little plastic ring prevent the rudder from flooding up it keep the distance between the rudder and the hull. If you remove the plastic ring the rudder might make some scratches in the hull. I would not remove it. J
Best Regards,
Julius A. Harttung Sales and service Phone: +45 46141890
Jefa Steering Aps. Agenavej 43 2670 Greve Denmark ------------- Best regards /C |
Posted By: Carlosailfan
Date Posted: 23 March 2018 at 11:37
Thanks to all of you for the good explanations  ------------- Best regards /C |
Posted By: Pieterman
Date Posted: 26 March 2018 at 02:42
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At the end of last season our H315 felt slightly different at the helm. Not heavy but different. After lifting the boat out of the water for the winter, I noticed this ring was broken, and the rudder made some scratches in the hull. I knew there was a logical link between the teared rudder ring and the scratches, but could not find an explanation. Thank you guys for explaining that the rudder floats and thus needs a spacer, "Simple comme bonjour", as the French say, :-) ------------- Pieterman Hanse 315 (2007) BEL7000 |
Posted By: samuel
Date Posted: 26 March 2018 at 21:14
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Pieter We both have 31's, although you have the wheel & I the tiller, I have a split ring under the top bearing. In your situation I cannot help thinking that I might purchase a split ring & place it under the top bearing. You will not be able to fit a delrin washer in place but I do not think that is needed. ( especially if you apply some grease)That would save you removing the entire rudder to fit the piece of plastic pipe which will probably break again anyway. If you did want to fit the delrin washer between the top bearing & the split metal ring you might only have to drop the rudder a few inches to get it on which is a lot easier than all the work needed for total removal of the rudder to fit the plastic tube ------------- Daydream Believer- Hanse 311- No GBR9917T- Bradwell Essex |
Posted By: captn Blair
Date Posted: 07 November 2023 at 18:09
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Hi Julius and?? I have a 400 Hanse 2012 and yes the rudder has started to ware the hull if there were spacers they gone We have owned the boat four 4 years now and the ware just started I think I recall 3 years ago looking at this area and could see up the rudder stock/shaft a bit Perhaps there was never any spacers If I am to fit spacers where can I get them asap we in Auckland NZ I not happy with the ware as you can already see the fibreglass ------------- Captn Blair |
Posted By: Mark_J1
Date Posted: 07 November 2023 at 18:39
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Jefa will sell you the part, but as a temporary measure you could likely just clip on a spacer made from a plastic pipe section. Just need to size it to bear on the out edge of the bottom cup bearing. Might even get away without dropping the rudder by slicing the pipe section vertically & twisting into place. That said, on my late 2005 build (so single wheel & this may not apply for you build) you can set the height of the rudder stock by its position in the top bearing. Just knock it down a few mm’s with a mallet after undoing the retaining grub screws. I think some versions may have a separate collar above the top bearing but mine is integrated. Mark ------------- Hanse 400e "Grey Goose" Hull #31 |