Help!!! I have a "clunking" noise coming from my rudder, and I've down everything I can think of to identify and fix the problem, except have the boat hauled, which I'm not sure would help anyway. Hopefully, someone has had the same problem, and has found the solution.
The symptoms are perplexing. If I spin the rudder back and forth on the mooring, the rudder swings back and forth effortlessly. However, if I turn the rudder hard left, then hard right when the boat is moving at a decent speed, I feel the rudder catch at the mid position and when I move the rudder past that position I will hear a "clunk." Significantly, I think, I does not catch or "clunk" if I turn the rudder back left, and pass through that same position. I doesn't do it all the time, but does it most when there is a good lateral load on the rudder while turning hard. Oddly enough though, it occurs at the mid position, when the lateral load is minimum (i.e., the rudder is sheltered from the dynamic water load by the skeg). Oddly enough also, it only does it almost entirely when I turn right, and very rarely if ever if I turn left.
I've been chasing this for about 3 weeks now, and I've already done the following:
1. Barnacles: My first though was that I may have some barnacles causing the problem, in particular, in the areas around the 'flaps' that overlap the top of the rudder above the skeg. I could envision the stiff "flap" getting hung up on a barnacle, which would only act one way and could account for it only happening when turning in one direction. But doesn't explain why it doesn't hang up when not moving. Anyway, I went overboard twice, did find barnacles, cleared them away. I also checked for barnacle interference at the skeg, and removed any possible issues.... but "clunking" still continues.
2. Steering Gear: I replaced all the significant moving parts: sprocket, steering shaft bearing, chain and cable, sheaves and sheave shaft pins. No change.
3. Pintle: My pintle was rebuilt this last fall. Inspected it under water. Seemed fine.
4. Upper Bearing (packing):Repacked it a few weeks back. Nothing was unusual.
5. Lateral Movement of Rudder: Checked it as best I could while in the water, but seemed OK. Only slight movement to the degree I expected.
6. Autopilot Hydraulic Ram: Disconnected it from tiller on rudder. "clunk" still remained, so it's not coming from that unit.
Well, now I'm stumped. Anyone have any suggestions?
Thanks.
_________________ Jim Voelxen Odyssey #191 Home Port: Osterville, MA
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