Rudder Assembly Progress

The rudder hardware (RL-690-G-3, Transom Pintle and Rudder Gudgeon Set from DuckWorks) arrived this week which means I can continue assembling the rudder stock. The rudder stock is ready for gluing but before I can do that I have to clamp everything together and drill the aft holes for the lower gudgeon because those fasteners (¼" flathead machine screws) need to be counter sunk. Can't access the inside of the cheeks when the stock is assembled.

So, the stock is clamped together and ready for placing the gudgeons and marking, drilling and countersinking those two holes. It would help to have everything (stock, gudgeons, drawings and fasteners) all in the same place at the same time… but, no, I didn't have the gudgeons with me today!

I was able to test fit the rudder blade with the stock. With some very minor trimming of the top of the blade, the holes lined up and the blade fits! I had drilled holes for an up-haul and a down-haul before fitting the blade to the stock - and realized I had to reposition the down-haul hole - just in case the blade isn't weighted enough to stay down on its own.

Photo: 6678 Later in the day I picked up a ½" x 3½" hex-head bolt, four fender washers and a lock-nut to use for the rudder pivot. There is enough room between the cheeks for a plastic washer (cut from a yogurt lid) on either side of the blade and a fender washer on either side of the blade. The other two fender washers will go on the outside of the cheeks.

After too long a time of "invisible" work, it was nice to see the rudder assembly looking like a rudder assembly. Tomorrow I'll fit the gudgeons, drill the holes and assemble the rudder stock.