T&T: Leaky rudder post

[Gary Bell]

Robert asked:

I have a little leak coming from the rudder post on my 1979, 36 foot
Albin.  Has anyone addressed this and can provide some input on a fix?  
Can this be done in the water?  
Thanks,
Bob

Gary replies:
I don't have a '79 Albin, so will defer to anybody with more model 
specific data, but in general:

Rudder posts that enter the hull below water have a packing gland where 
the post passes through the hull, quite like the one on your prop shaft. 
I can't think of any inboard power boats with transom mounted pintle and 
gudgeon rudder mounts.  Sailboats yes, and of course outboards...

A tiny amount of water should be OK as water is the lubricant for the 
turning rudder shaft.  I'm thinking about a moist salty deposit from 
evaporation (even in fresh water) rather than an active dribble here. 

Best to clean that salty deposit up, preventing further corrosion of the 
rudder post.  A significant amount of accumulated salts with a tiny 
amount of water comprises a very concentrated salt solution, a recipe 
for a corrosion in the region. 

Adjusting the packing gland will do two things:  1-adjust the water flow 
and  2-adjust the friction drag felt in your helm (moving the autohelm 
ram will also be felt in the helm, so even though there seems enough 
'drag' friction in the helm your gland could be too loose).

You should find a large robust bearing on the rudder post, well above 
the packing gland.  This, together with the gland keeps the rudder post 
in place and vertical, meaning that there is not likely to be another 
bearing below the gland.  Thus, opening the gland to replace the packing 
would let unrestricted water 'flow' into the boat.  If you feel that the 
packing needs replacing, seems best to do that on the hard.  Since the 
rudder post moves so little, compared to the prop shaft, I expect that 
replacing the packing due to wear would need to be done only once in 
several lifetimes.

If the post is stainless steel you might consider inspecting the metal 
inside the packing gland area, as crevice corrosion could be involved -- 
where oxygen is depleted in the trapped water portion.  If the post is 
bronze that will not be an issue.  Of course that would involve actually 
dropping the rudder a little ways, clearly a job for sometime you are on 
the hard. 

Good luck,
Gary Bell