Swan 48 S&S ISBJÖRN

Rudders and bearings again.

Please see the Swan 48 S&S ISBJÖRN
rudder repair performed by crew and Antigua boats yard in the state of the art.
Very interesting and instructive indeed.
Thanks to them for posting such a comprehensive report that will shurely help other owner of Swan yachts of that generation how their rudder is installed and bearings made.
please follow here under link to find more about it.

http://59-north.com/sailfeed/2016/3/26/isbjorn-rudder-repair 

SOTO ACEBAL 62' Rudder

Rudder.. again.. on another type of boat with another type of bearing from JEFA bearings.

Some kind of an interesting "bricolage" where the bearing was replaced to some
nylon spacer... no need to say that helm was extremely hard..

Removal of aluminium sleeve

Lamination of GRP casing

New rudder post sleeve.

Adjustment of bearing

Rudder back in... :-) 

56-042 Rudder bearing

As said (many times) before the rudder should be dropped every two or three years, bearings serviced and seals replaced... when not doing such the bearing will finally get corroded and seized around the rudder stock sleeve and will need replacement... :-( 

Complete bearing seized on rudder stock

GRP casing

Our tool to remove bearing from sleeve... which should not be needed
when properly maintained the bearing body should be remaining in the boat GRP casing
and rudder slide into it.

Corroded bearing needs replacement

JP3 Rudder Bearings Service

When a lower bearing is showing signs of leak or salt all around it
is often already too late. Soon it will leak really badly and the boat
 will have to be hauled out in emergency.

Rudder should be dropped and bearings serviced, seals replaced every 5-6 years.

Boat owners usually don't do it until it leaks.

It is then very hard to drop the rudder as the bearing is seized with corrosion.

There is then no other choice but to destroy it as it cannot
 be removed away from the rudder post and to replace it to a new one.

90-709 antifouling paint

90-709 at AMC Antibes

Swan 90 bow

90-709 in the slings

How to remove a stuck rudder bearing because of an encounter
with an unknown floating object