Leaking Tiller/Rudder

[MixingWizzard]

Hey all, 

 

I'm new to boating so please forgive my ignorance. I'm doing the Ribble Link crossing tomorrow. A marine engineer I met on the way over recommended that I check my engine at full revs while moored up (it's a Beta 38). The engine seems happy enough however I'm getting quite a lot of water ingress from where the tiller stem goes through the hull (I'm not sure what this is called). I just wondered if this is a serious issue. I had a go at tightening the two bolts but I only have a small rattle gun with me so I didn't have much luck shifting them. I've attached a picture. 

 

Many thanks, 

MixingWizzard

[David Mack]

Do you mean water comes out of the top of the rudder tube bearing when the engine is in gear at full tilt? This is not uncommon, and there isn't much you can do about it. My only concern would be where does that water go? With a trad stern it usually just runs onto the stern deck and harmlessly over the side. With a cruiser or semi trad stern it usually ends up in the bilges. In the latter case, if the flow is significant, you would do well to make sure your bilge pump is working so you can pump it out a couple of times during the trip.

[MixingWizzard]

Just now, David Mack said:

Do you mean water comes out of the top of the rudder tube bearing when the engine is in gear at full tilt? This is not uncommon, and there isn't much you can do about it. My only concern would be where does that water go? With a trad stern it usually just runs onto the stern deck and harmlessly over the side. With a cruiser or semi trad stern it usually ends up in the bilges. In the latter case, if the flow is significant, you would do well to make sure your bilge pump is working so you can pump it out a couple of times during the trip.

 

Ah, that's good to know. Yes it was running at full tilt so quite a lot of turbulent water kicked up. The water actually comes through under that bolted plate, but it was coming through at a fair rate. It's a semi-cruiser so it was washing on to the deck but mostly went down the drain holes. Thanks for the reassurance.

[bizzard]

If that's a rusty gap on the edge of the mount and there;s an integral fuel tank rain and water chucked up from the prop will seep through into the tank.

[Tony Brooks]

The flow can be reduced the next time the boat is out of the water by cutting two or three discs of rubber with a hole in the centre to fit around the rudder stock. Then cut through, one side to the centre and slide them around the stock above the blade with the slots 180 to 120 degrees apart. Push them up against the swim plate. However, as David says, not uncommon and nor really a problem.

1 minute ago, bizzard said:

If that's a rusty gap on the edge of the mount and there;s an integral fuel tank rain and water chucked up from the prop will seep through into the tank.

 

Not if the tube has been properly welded to the plate work under the bearing housing. I would be more concerned about how well the housing mounting bolts are sealed in the tank top.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

Will it have made a difference having been tested whilst moored?

With a proper flow with the boat moving it might not be much of an issue?

It’s kind of what happens with my boat anyway. 🤷‍♀️

 

[bizzard]

7 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

The flow can be reduced the next time the boat is out of the water by cutting two or three discs of rubber with a hole in the centre to fit around the rudder stock. Then cut through, one side to the centre and slide them around the stock above the blade with the slots 180 to 120 degrees apart. Push them up against the swim plate. However, as David says, not uncommon and nor really a problem.

 

Not if the tube has been properly welded to the plate work under the bearing housing. I would be more concerned about how well the housing mounting bolts are sealed in the tank top.

If water spouts up past the stock it will run down through that rusty gap into the fuel tank as well as rain, ''if the rusty gap is through to the interior of the tank''.

2 minutes ago, bizzard said:

If water spouts up past the stock it will run down through that rusty gap into the fuel tank as well as rain, ''if the rusty gap is through to the interior of the tank''.

Said he tried to tighten the two nuts as well. Looks very dodgy to me

[blackrose]

29 minutes ago, David Mack said:

With a trad stern it usually just runs onto the stern deck and harmlessly over the side. With a cruiser or semi trad stern it usually ends up in the bilges. 

 

On my cruiser stern it runs over the back of the boat into the river.

[Arthur Marshall]

2 minutes ago, blackrose said:

 

On my cruiser stern it runs over the back of the boat into the river.

On mine it goes mostly into the bilge, some drains out through the one working drain channel.

If there is an integral fuel tank in the rear of the hull, as there was with mine, I'd worry that, with that amount of rust, it was rusting through, or the tiller tube, if it runs through it, was rusting through - either would fill the tank with water. My tank rusted through the other way first, sort of luckily, and filled the bilge with diesel.

[bizzard]

3 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

On mine it goes mostly into the bilge, some drains out through the one working drain channel.

If there is an integral fuel tank in the rear of the hull, as there was with mine, I'd worry that, with that amount of rust, it was rusting through, or the tiller tube, if it runs through it, was rusting through - either would fill the tank with water. My tank rusted through the other way first, sort of luckily, and filled the bilge with diesel.

I'd have thought Arthur that your boat had a separate stand alone and not an integral tank.

[MixingWizzard]

The gap doesn't actually look that rusty in real life, it just looks like that plate is not tightened down on one side. I also have a relatively stiff tiller so I suspect it might have taken a knock at some point. 

[bizzard]

Just now, bizzard said:

I'd have thought Arthur that your boat had a separate stand alone and not an integral tank.

And if the rudder tube rusted and leakede it would leak into the bilge not into the fuel tank.

[blackrose]

11 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

...I'd worry that, with that amount of rust, it was rusting through, or the tiller tube, if it runs through it, was rusting through - either would fill the tank with water. 

 

When you say "that amount of rust" are we all talking about the rust shown in the OP's photo or have I missed something? 

 

If the bearing housing is/was loose and there's rust underneath then that's not good but still, the rust doesn't look that excessive to me.

 

Personally if I was venturing onto tidal waters I'd be more concerned about things like whether my anchor warp was long enough, sludge in my fuel tank that might get churned up and block the fuel filter, etc. I'd also be checking things like alternator belts as I had one snap once on the tidal Thames and only knew when the water pump stopped spinning and I got an engine overheating warning alarm.

Edited April 25 by blackrose

[Arthur Marshall]

3 hours ago, bizzard said:

I'd have thought Arthur that your boat had a separate stand alone and not an integral tank.

It does now. It didn't originally, the whole back end was the fuel tank, the rudder tube ran up through the middle of it.

[MixingWizzard]

I didn't sink!

[Sea Dog]

On 27/04/2024 at 20:23, MixingWizzard said:

I didn't sink!

Always a bonus on any boat trip! Keep not doing it would be my advice. 

[Stroudwater1]

On 27/04/2024 at 20:23, MixingWizzard said:

I didn't sink!

Hope you enjoyed the Ribble link too! 

[BilgePump]

Quite a cool feather in your cap for confidence. Plenty of long time boaters who won't have done something tidal like that. Also shows that your engine is up to a bit of a challenge if required.

[MtB]

On 27/04/2024 at 20:23, MixingWizzard said:

I didn't sink!

 

They say any morning when you wake up is a good day. (If you consider the alternative.) 

 

If your boat is also floating its a doubly good day!! 

[MixingWizzard]

On 30/04/2024 at 08:38, BilgePump said:

Quite a cool feather in your cap for confidence. Plenty of long time boaters who won't have done something tidal like that. Also shows that your engine is up to a bit of a challenge if required.

First the Ribble then the Wigan flight, I hope the rest of my trip towards Leeds isn't this exhausting!