rudder bracket 96, 26x

[Dawgfish]

does anyone have a a set of rudder brackets layin around that they would part with? sitting at Dauphin Island, Alabama with one broken that im about to temp fix. would like to replace them both if possible.
the replacements dont have to be pretty , just functional.

[March]

Yeah, I asked the same question last year, but the response was zero. Maybe things have changed in the meanwhile.
I managed to buy one on e-bay 6 months ago and plan on having the aluminum cracked one beefed up (there are some cool mods in this respect) as a back-up.
You can also buy them brand new from Blue Water Yacht, but the price is a little steep... around $200 a piece, if memory serves. Based on the model of your boat, it must be the aluminum version, not the steel one.

[dlandersson]

Same here...cracked one last year, bought on Ebay, plan to have the cracked one fixed.

Yeah, I asked the same question last year, but the response was zero. Maybe things have changed in the meanwhile.
I managed to buy one on e-bay 6 months ago and plan on having the aluminum cracked one beefed up (there are some cool mods in this respect) as a back-up.
You can also buy them brand new from Blue Water Yacht, but the price is a little steep... around $200 a piece, if memory serves. Based on the model of your boat, it must be the aluminum version, not the steel one.

[DaveB]

I have a quick release cam that rudders come up if hit by a force of 30 lbs pressure and can be adjusted to 50 lbs and have never had a problem with original aluminum brackets. I have had them auto release many times. (log in water, shallow something etc)
If you go above 8 knots with rudders down and adjusted to 30 lbs the rudders will kick up, another safety measure.
Duck Works have these cams.
Dave

does anyone have a a set of rudder brackets layin around that they would part with? sitting at Dauphin Island, Alabama with one broken that im about to temp fix. would like to replace them both if possible.
the replacements dont have to be pretty , just functional.

[Whipsyjac]

Same year, same model, rudder brackets twisted and bent. My boarding ladder is in the original position and I'm starting to think a lot of large adults have stepped directly on the bracket while boarding. They're bent down so far the bolt heads from the steering bow have dug grooves in the gel coat. I need to straighten them and build a "back porch" to protect my steering assembly. I live 4 hours north of Seattle and want to get to BWY and have a look at the stainless brackets.

Does anyone have a price on a repair and gusset job? I don't have the stuff for welding aluminum Any one know how much heat can be applied when straightening?
Should I just be looking for the right shop to do it?

Dave do you have any protection on the back of your boat, like a back porch mod?

Dawgfish what's your hull#? Mine's 486, kinda think it'd be cool to have hull #500eh?! Like a special edition or something

Willy

[Dawgfish]

yup aluminum brackets. been looking online , saw lots of pix but haven't found any for sale New or used . I did a field repair for now . it ain't pretty but it will get me to where i need to be here soon. I called a welder friend of mine and he said he would build one to my specs . gonna spend the night drafting. I just know there is a simpler way for these things to be made.....
I saw a set of steel replacements a guy on here made and they looked good but I havent figured out how to get pix when doing a search
I like the idea of the pressure release ones, sounds fancy. I just dont put the rope all the way into the cleat and the rudder pops up just fine when it bumps something.

[dlandersson]

Happened here too - I'd say it's a good guess. Good news is that you can straighten it by hand.

Same year, same model, rudder brackets twisted and bent. My boarding ladder is in the original position and I'm starting to think a lot of large adults have stepped directly on the bracket while boarding. They're bent down so far the bolt heads from the steering bow have dug grooves in the gel coat. I need to straighten them and build a "back porch" to protect my steering assembly.
Willy

[restless]

Been there, re cutting grooves into the deck... I reckon po reversed hard into something.
Don't bother re-welding unless you are going to properly strengthen the set up.
mine is a 96, with the comedy brackets. They are now terminator grade including hydraulics + beefed boat hangers
http://www.ironengineer.com/mac/steering/steering.html

[Dawgfish]

ok so i get my friend to agree on repairing my rudder brackets. the drafting for a new version is gonna take longer than I thought.
while discussing what to do we find that we are missing info.
the question is " What kind of aluminum alloy is the original brackets made of?"
If anyone knows the answer to this we would apreciate it!

[Whipsyjac]

Popcans, hammered together like Damascus

Sorry no real help from me.

Willy

[Dawgfish]

Popcans, hammered together like Damascus

Sorry no real help from me.

Willy

good one! may as well be for all the good they are...

[restless]

If you go for tool-plate grade you won't get the bends in. A softer grade will work easier, and bend accordingly. For the time it takes my thoughts went into massive repair. If you're going to rebuild, you'd probly be alot better off going for 316 stainless. No issues of galvanic on the pins and much easier to work. and hard as nails

[DaveB]

Pressure Realease Cams are not fancy, requires two screws in each cam.
Reason you bent the bracket was something hit the rudders and no way for them to go up except to bend the Aluminum Yoke. Grounding or a log or something else. Steping on it doesn't bend it.
Heat the arm to 300-400 degrees and pry it up slowly for straightness.
Than use the Duckworks cams.
Look at it this way, on a MacX the centerboard has no downhaul that secures the centerboard all the way down, it's free to flip up if something hits it.
Rudders need a downhaul to prevent them from going up and the quick realease cam lets them do that in a force to them and releases the pressure.
You will know instant if one of the ruders kickup or both .
I have been useing them for 3 years and tho I can secure rudders to a cleat I sail with them on the quick release cam 90% of the time, 10% on cleat on the Gulf far from land in heavy weather.
Dave

[

[March]

The release cams are a good addition (I'm planning on adding them, too) but they would release the rudders only if they hit an obstruction (log, a shallow sand bar) as the boat moves forward.I suspect that the cracks/bends in the brackets are not due to forward pressure but more like a lateral one. Instead of having the camc-leats, we used to loop the rudder lines and squeeze the loop through the opening under the regular cleat--a poor man's quick release trick. It worked just fine when it came to pulling the line out, in case the rudders needed to go up, under forward pressure. Nevertheless, when we drifted sideways onto a shallow bank without realizing, the rudders never kicked up. The boat found itself perched on top of three points of balance, the rudders and the centerboard, which resulted in lateral tensions for the current was still strong--and that's when one of the brackets cracked. At least, that's what I suppose did happen

[DaveB]

There are a lot of things to Consider, I have a 1997 MacX that has the Aluminum Bracket and the shallow rudders that I like compared to the 1999 rudders that are about 8 inches longer. I cruise in shallow waters often and the boat sails very well with with these rudders and Aluminum bracket.
I did put in Polister resin to fill the void at the head of the rudders to make them solid, also regelcoated them, this added weight but no change in lifting rudders up.
The rudders are now solid from top to about about 10 inches lower .
I usually keep rudders up anchoring overnight with engine down in shallow waters or poor holding ground, if I drag than motor is first to hit bottom and it's a wake up call to deck and start engine , raise motor slightly and off I go. Only happened twice with us.
Lateral force on rudders when hitting ground in a blow is much harder to get rudders up and they may bend bracket or snap rudders.
If Sailing/motering and you hit, get the rudders up if they didn't already trip the cam but a lateral current/wind fast action is needed before anything else. You can always scag out a anchor and get off but those rudders are needed for your trip home.
I often sail in thin waters with one rudder down just so I have another for backup.
Rule # 1 never get caught in a situation you can't get out of and Rule #2 follow rule #1.
I had the Honda BF 50 that I replaced with the Merc.50 big Foot that draws 3-4 inches more than the Honda but a much better performance.
Dave

The release cams are a good addition (I'm planning on adding them, too) but they would release the rudders only if they hit an obstruction (log, a shallow sand bar) as the boat moves forward.I suspect that the cracks/bends in the brackets are not due to forward pressure but more like a lateral one. Instead of having the camc-leats, we used to loop the rudder lines and squeeze the loop through the opening under the regular cleat--a poor man's quick release trick. It worked just fine when it came to pulling the line out, in case the rudders needed to go up, under forward pressure. Nevertheless, when we drifted sideways onto a shallow bank without realizing, the rudders never kicked up. The boat found itself perched on top of three points of balance, the rudders and the centerboard, which resulted in lateral tensions for the current was still strong--and that's when one of the brackets cracked. At least, that's what I suppose did happen