Rudder bearings

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   I did exactly that to raise the rudder as high as possible as on our case it is very nearly the same depth as the shallow draft keel. I think ours still rotates through 360 degrees without catching the hull underside. This is useful to get rid of weed rather than dangling over the stern with a boat hook or brush..
The clamp is the only thing stopping the rudder dropping on the hard. In water you will get some natural buoyancy but having lifted the rudder assembly it is not enough to stop it dropping. It is worth putting a safety strop through the tiller  bolt hole or around the rudder blade if you are removing the clamp afloat.

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Taylor Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Captain Joined: 02 December 2013 Location: North Wales Status: Offline Points: 180	Post Options Post Reply Quote Taylor Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 15 February 2022 at 12:32
	I did exactly that to raise the rudder as high as possible as on our case it is very nearly the same depth as the shallow draft keel. I think ours still rotates through 360 degrees without catching the hull underside. This is useful to get rid of weed rather than dangling over the stern with a boat hook or brush.. The clamp is the only thing stopping the rudder dropping on the hard. In water you will get some natural buoyancy but having lifted the rudder assembly it is not enough to stop it dropping. It is worth putting a safety strop through the tiller bolt hole or around the rudder blade if you are removing the clamp afloat.
	Hanse 301 Bluenote 11

perry Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Captain Joined: 13 October 2015 Location: IOW Status: Offline Points: 318	Post Options Post Reply Quote perry Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 15 February 2022 at 16:45
	Hi Richard, The top bush is top hat shaped and cannot go though the top deck without breaking a big bit of GRP. The tiller arm mount is both clamped to the rudder stock and has a bolt through the rudder stock. the bearing weight is taken on some PTFE pads which bear on the top of the top bearing holder. When in the water the rudder exerts little weight on the top bearing due to its bouyancy. Packing up the top bearing shoulnt be any problem but dont loose all the vertical play in the shaft. I have never replaced the top bearing its lightly loaded, if you feel it has too much play for you, its a simple cheap bush get it in Delrin. Just remember tight/stiff rudder is not nice, you loose feel of boat, boat are not precision bits of machinery [more agricultural] decks and hulls flex. If you take out the SS bolt through the rudder stock re-fit with liberal gease or Durolac, Tefgel, or other to reduce SS Alum corrosion. I had a terrible job drilling out this bolt to remove rudder first time, and destroyed the Aluminium coller; had to make another and its not anodised [it was 6061 I think] Regards Perry
	Current Yacht Hanse 315 2007 Last Yacht Hanse 301 Round GB in 2017

AlanL Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Lieutenant Commander Joined: 17 July 2017 Location: Gosport Status: Offline Points: 64	Post Options Post Reply Quote AlanL Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 18 February 2022 at 13:22
	I had the same problem taking out the bolt when working on our rudder but subsequently realised that part of this was because of the weight of the rudder on the bolt holding it tight. When refitting the bolt I had someone below take the weight of the rudder and the bolt went in easily. I checked that it would also come out again and we really noticed the difference with the weight on the rudder and with it off.
	Hobo Hanse 301 GBR 2996L

perry Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Captain Joined: 13 October 2015 Location: IOW Status: Offline Points: 318	Post Options Post Reply Quote perry Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 18 February 2022 at 16:15
	I drilled the bolt out while in water, as didnt want to waste time doing it ashore, I wanted to drop rudder as soon as lifted. I put a clamp round rudder shaft below deck to take weight, but bouyancy meant the the rudder was pretty light. My bolt was original and had been corroding in for 15yrs.
	Current Yacht Hanse 315 2007 Last Yacht Hanse 301 Round GB in 2017

AlanL Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Lieutenant Commander Joined: 17 July 2017 Location: Gosport Status: Offline Points: 64	Post Options Post Reply Quote AlanL Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 18 February 2022 at 20:20
	I was going to do that but had nightmares about the rudder falling off and sinking
	Hobo Hanse 301 GBR 2996L

AlanL Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Lieutenant Commander Joined: 17 July 2017 Location: Gosport Status: Offline Points: 64	Post Options Post Reply Quote AlanL Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 21 March 2022 at 21:43
	Just an update on the rudder bolt situation on Hobo. I was at the boat today (which is now back in the water) and tried easing off the old bolt (mild steel which I had accidentally put in previously). It came out easily and I was able to slot in a new stainless bolt with plenty of grease, I also have a stainless rudder shaft which replaced, about 8 years ago, the original aluminium shaft which had corrosion and pitting. All done in about 2 minutes, after about 2 years of putting off doing it again. Went for a lovely sail up Portsmouth harbour in the sun and a moderate breeze to celebrate.
	Hobo Hanse 301 GBR 2996L

andrush Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Sub Lieutenant Joined: 02 June 2019 Location: Tallinn Status: Offline Points: 15	Post Options Post Reply Quote andrush Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 17 August 2022 at 16:50
	Fellow 301 owners please kindly share experience or ideas how to solve issue when rudder shaft from the top has worn down and there is a gap in between shaft and new bearings from Jefa? you can see video here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/UeHbvPnMDjRf4cdT9 PS. thank you all for you prior advise!

holby Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admiral of the Fleet Joined: 18 February 2006 Location: Isle of Man Status: Offline Points: 2287	Post Options Post Reply Quote holby Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 17 August 2022 at 18:14
	What is the white insert within the balcony outer? Is this another polymer… I don’t really see what the issue is. The top bearing is the easiest to deal with and replace, and can be done with the boat in the water so long as you tie the rudder on so it does not drop out of the tube. If you worry about your ability to tie it on then I would suggest you take the boat out of the water. BUT as you have made the video, I am assuming the boat is out and the rudder is out.. i would seriously buy a length of Vesconite tube with a larger external diameter than the widest part of the bearing and with an internal diameter smaller than the rudder shaft.. Get a piece of vesconite tube that is approx 400mm long The reason for this is that you can make a bottom bearing when you need to.. If you have a lathe ( metal turning lathe is best) and copy the old bearing and then make the centre hole the same size as the rudder shaft.. try it for size ( remember you can stick it back if you have made it to big.. when you find that it just fits on with no gap, take a micron off, and try again and again until you have a comfortable fit. If you don’t feel confident to do this go to an engineering company and there will be an apprentice who can test his machining skills on this. Best wishes
	Hanse 301, tiller steering, Volvo 2010 (10hp)

andrush Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Sub Lieutenant Joined: 02 June 2019 Location: Tallinn Status: Offline Points: 15	Post Options Post Reply Quote andrush Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 17 August 2022 at 18:29
	Holby, thank you! Pardon me for not being specific enough, somehow felt like video describes issue well.. So, I’m replacing and all-ready have received both lower and upper bearings. Lower one fits to the bearing shaft well and there is literally no sideways shaking. Issue is with top shaft(metal) which has worn down from sides and new bearing let’s it shake sideways.

RichardJ Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Sub Lieutenant Joined: 16 August 2020 Location: Hamble Status: Offline Points: 14	Post Options Post Reply Quote RichardJ Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 17 August 2022 at 18:32
	Don't know if this will help you, but this winter we found that our rudder had a lot of vibration. When we got her on the hard, we saw that dropped a bit, and there was a small amount of play between the shaft and the bearings (a 1mm gap led to about 4mm movement at the tip of the rubber). However, when we lifted the rudder to its proper position, the play disappeared. So we fabricated a Delrin washer at the top of the shaft to take up the most of the slack. Since then it's been fine.



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