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I have been reading through all the posts on reducing rudder slop and was going to try the CD/DVD fix but some sailors report they did not hold up. Has anyone found a better solution without redesigning the bracket? Another sailor used the bottom of plastic pot plants. Someone else combined CDs and a disk of outdoor carpet.

I have tied to source teflon sheet but cannot find it thin enough.

Ideas?

Sorry to clarify. I CAN find teflon sheet in any thickness but at $300 per sheet it is too expensive to cut out 4 x 4 inch diameter disks. I was hoping for a more consumer source of teflon such as really thin cutting boards or similar.

I have had DVD's in mine for nearly 3years. I occasionally spray them with silicone but no problems. It is quick and easy though I keep the bolts fairly well cinched up,

Dave

Wow, I would have been happy if I would have gotten 12 months out of the DVD method. Someone else on the board posted that they blew theirs out almost immediately and hence my hesitation. Did you also add large washers to the outside of the brackets? Did you just use a DVD each side of the rudder?

Thanks

What you'd want to find are HDPE washers of an appropriate size. Go to http://www.mcmaster.com and enter search term "UHMW Polyethylene Washers". They're only a few bucks.

innervations wrote:I have been reading through all the posts on reducing rudder slop and was going to try the CD/DVD fix but some sailors report they did not hold up. Has anyone found a better solution without redesigning the bracket? Another sailor used the bottom of plastic pot plants. Someone else combined CDs and a disk of outdoor carpet.

I have tied to source teflon sheet but cannot find it thin enough.

Ideas?

Good thing plastic pot plants are becoming legal.

Have you tried ABS.
$15 for a 12"X12 inch.

http://www.interstateplastics.com/Abs-B ... riceit.y=7
Should be enough for both rudders.
I need the .125 thickness, both sides on my new rudders brackets from Blue Water on my Mac.X 1997.
That's filling the gap 1/8 inches both sides. I may go one size less so the top is cleared with no drag.
Thinest they make is .060 and that's a little more than a DVD.
Dave

I use flexible cutting boards, the trick is to fold/press it inside the bracket so it takes up the U shape, mark and cut to shape slightly smaller than bracket, and drill holes. As its now the in effect a one piece inner liner to the bracket, it stays captive, i,e cant rotate with rudder, is easier to line up. looks neat/invisble, works and Boards are cheap.

on linkage slop, I drilled out the thin rudder bolts holes, drilled out to 12mm with new 304 SS bolts, zero slop but free to move.

Thanks guys. Good suggestions.

seahouse has the best mod for this - and if you add the huge SS washers to the OUTSIDE of the brackets like mastreb says it's pretty much gonna cover all the bases until you break a rudder or bend your shaft. That is the mod i am going to do on 'boat' and I have a source on the Delrin if you need it.


http://www.macgregorsailors.com/modt/in ... ?view=1590



(here is a picture of seahouse):

BOAT wrote:seahouse has the best mod for this - and if you add the huge SS washers to the OUTSIDE of the brackets like mastreb says it's pretty much gonna cover all the bases until you break a rudder or bend your shaft.

That looks so nice and professional. Factory should have done this from the start.

Total different than the MacX rudder brackets from 1997 and newer ones from BW.
Guess we should leave this to the M only bracket.
Dave

RussMT wrote:

BOAT wrote:seahouse has the best mod for this - and if you add the huge SS washers to the OUTSIDE of the brackets like mastreb says it's pretty much gonna cover all the bases until you break a rudder or bend your shaft.

That looks so nice and professional. Factory should have done this from the start.

topcat0399 wrote: Good thing plastic pot plants are becoming legal.

Yeah, i caught that too and was going to ask if he meant the roots or the lower part of the stem...? I assume only the bottom parts are left.

don't get what looks so nice and professional,,, that is a picture of exactly what the factory setup is????????

raycarlson wrote:don't get what looks so nice and professional,,, that is a picture of exactly what the factory setup is????????

Look closer. The plastic inserts between the bracket and the rudder. My M didn't come with them. If yours did, then your dealer or PO added them.



Final install.