Rudder is hard turn

[mnerenhausen (Mark Nerenhausen)]

I have a Nonsuch 30U and have been cruising for a few months each year since we bought it two years ago. The rudder is very stiff. It starts out fine in the morning but after five or so hours sailing/motoring to out destination it starts to get much stiffer. The zerk fitting was missing so I replaced that and have greased it well (grease is showing on the top bearing). That helped some but it has not solved the problem. I am in Florida now and having the boat pulled in a week . Any and all suggestions welcomed.

Mark Nerenhausen

Cloud Hidden, #370 30U

New Bern, NC

Cloud

[JohnB (John Barbour)]

This sounds like my stiff rudder problem, swelling of the fibreglass rudder tube. I described what I did in the forum on April 20 2022

John Barbour

Nature 26 U

[NS233_Bob_Neches (Bob Neches, Me Gusta, Nonsuch e26U #233)]

Mark,

I think the previous discussion that John’s referring to above appear in these links:

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I am looking for the recommended clearance between the rudder shaft and the fiberglass tube it rotates in The steering on my 26U had become very stiff over about the last two years. When I disconnected the wheel and tried turning the rudder with the emergency tiller I had to push hard with both hands. I have been injecting grease into the tube through the usual greasing hole, which has a fitting for a grease gun, The grease is the usual marine type. Has anyone else had this problem? A couple o…

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stiff rudder...continued issue

Hello; Boat NC 26, 1986, Need some advice.. Still working on my stiff rudder, !!! Question…?? How many inches of thread should be showing above the rudder post nut ? Wonder if the prior owner has torqued up the rudder post too much. Im showing around 1 1/2 + inches. Have user several lubricants to try to loosen the tightness around the bearings, with some success… but still kinda tight. I removed the cables and I am just moving the rudder using the emergency rudder bar… Examined both the to…

-- Bob