Do I have rudder damage?

[cranium]

The other day I was crusing accross the lake about 20mph and I caught a shallow spot and went though some mud. For a moment the steering seemed a little stiff but then the boat seemed to handle normally. I pulled the boat out to inspect for damage and I didn't see anything serrious to the prop or hull. But I DID notice the rudder is at a very slight angle toward the back of the boat. Should the rudder be perfectly perpendicular to the hull or at least straight up and down? Or is it normal for the rudder to angle back slightly?

[BuFootin]

don't have a VLX but on every DD boat I've owned the rudder is not angled. It is straight up and down. You may have bent it slightly. How does the boat handle at cruising speed?

[Bill_AirJunky]

I think the important part is not that the rudder is perpendicular, but that the rudder shaft is straight.

Any pics of it?

[99response]

I've never seen just a rudder be damaged, usually the prop and shaft would have signifigant damage also. Its a pretty think shaft on that rudder, it would take quite a bit to bend it.

-Chris

[99response]

I changed my mind. if you went through mud, and had the rudder turned , that could put some crazy force on the rudder and bend that shaft.

[Ndawg12]

Just throwing this out there, would it be wise for him to look for some spider cracking in the gelcoat around where the base of the rudder is mounted?

[99response]

I've seen rudders bent at crazy angles and still no gelcoat damage around the rudder base, but still worth a look.

Struts are a different story, they spider crack pretty easily under stress.

[gary_tenison]

I'd go by leakage and feel. Is it leaking through the bushing? And does it turn lock to lock nicely or not? Thats what would drive my attention...

[Lzy0k0]

Mine was tought to steer under load, meaning when you tried to turn or take off. I measured the shaft and the box it and the box was ovalated. Another way to check this is to have someone put pressure on the rudder and have someone steer. I did this and I could barely turn the wheel. The previous owner hit something look at strut as well. I bought a new box/strut from marine hardware/strut. I took it out last weekend and it was one hundred times better. I could steer with one figure vs. two hands.

Hope this helps.

Heres the link

http://s555.photobucket.com/albums/jj456/L...20Rudder%20Box/

Edited May 1, 2009 by Lzy0k0

[CRASH]

I would remove your prop even if it doesnt look damaged to naked eye. The blades bend quite easily take it to your local prop shop and have it checked out.

[cranium]

Thanks to all for all the good advice! I took the Bu out today to really examine how the steering performed. It was a little more stiff the normal. Then I realized I could not put my manual wedge down without it hitting the rudder which definitely means its out of wack. I didn't think to check for leaking. Assuming its a bent shaft and not something more significant, is that something a newbie should try to tackle on my own? The nearest Malibu dealer is 2 hours away in Cincinnati.

[68Slalom]

I've never seen just a rudder be damaged, usually the prop and shaft would have signifigant damage also. Its a pretty think shaft on that rudder, it would take quite a bit to bend it.

-Chris

If you didn't damage your prop you should be ok but it all really depends on what you felt when you hit

[skier92]

Just curious, from an owner of the same boat where the rudder is not bent, what is the clearance between the wedge and rudder? And of Cranium, once you turn the rudder, how much further does the wedge move? Working with info from both questions should give a pretty good idea how far the rudder was bent. Being its your abilty to control the boat, I'd want to know how badly it was bent, and maybe just get if fixed.