Rudder Replacement Inquiry

[Sam Conant]

Just purchased and moved a Catalina 25 (1982) from North Hero, Vt to Malletts Bay, Vt .... in heavy winds and seas ...(for Lake Champlain)About 50 years from calmer seas .... with an opening to navigate approximately 25 yard wide ... The lower rudder holding cotter pin sheared ... and steering was lost ... The honda 4 stroke kept us off the rocks .... and we were unable to pull the upper cotter pin to remove the rudder and tiller from the transom ... 4 footseas, rain, wind ... and needed to hold the boat ... by motor ... I was ableto, finally last the tiller tighly agains the transom .... to avoid it thrashind and trashing the motor .... and obtained a tow by my local marine police boat ... Unfortunately, the water forced by the tow .... forces a rudder wide crack just below the top transom connector plate ...While I've got a repair person to look at the rudder ... I'd like to find aplace with replacement rudder(s) for the craft ... Any suggestions will be appreciated .... West Marine says they don't have one ...TksSam Conant

[Sam]

In my previous note, please correct "years" to "yards" in line three and "last" to "lash" in line nine. The other typos are relatively easy to figure out ...TksSamC

[Jim Motley]

You might try Catalina. They quoted me $475.00 for a kick up rudder for a C250WB, which I intend to order. It even included the tiller and post. Talk with Greg in parts.

[Ken Cave]

Call Catalina Yachts direct, or, if you have a Catalina dealer near you, trythem also. The older Catalina 25 have a rudder that really is horrible towork with in following seas. The new unit, which comes with the gundgonsand tiller is well worth the money (about $500.00 shipped) as it is set fowardunder the boat thus reducing the steering pressure under harsh conditions.If you have an Autohelm 1000 (which I highly recommend) it will also reactfaster to the new designed rudder.Ken CaveDragon Tail #789

[Sam Conant]

Tks Ken ... your reply and recommendations are stored in the file ... for the future ... I located a local fiberglass shop near my home ... and they were able to rebuild and re-enforce the rudder ... for about 1/2 what a new one would have cost ... But, I've taken your recommendation under advisement ...and will use it if this work doesn't hold ....Sam Conant

[Sam Conant]

Tks Jim ... I did speak with someone in the Catalina "shop," but found a quicker and, I believe, better service locally in a fiber glass repair shop near my home which works primarily with marine repairs ... I watched them remove the rudder ... spent some time in their shop at their invitation (I host a local TV program about local businesses and government issues, so theywere quite positive with their invitation) watching them assess, and re-build the inner and external structure ... My belief is that this repaired rudder will probably outlast the damned boat!!! {:+) Tomorrow I move it once again ...This time from the dockside berth in my local, friendly marina to the homemooring around the point and into Malletts Bay, in Vermont ...Tks for writing...Sam