Bronze Rudder Grudgeon

[Tommy Bahama]

I'm looking for a source to purshace a new rudder grudgeon/shoe for my Islander Bahama 24. The grudgeon mounts at the bottom of the keel and retains the rudder post. I searched the web and have seen similar ones used as grudgeons on other boats but am unable to find a source.

I've been bottom grinding like a good grunt and sanding around this area, I discovered that it is still wet after being out of the water for a few months. Further inspection revealed that the keel seam is deteriorating and while digging around there, I found that the grudgeon/shoe is crumbling (I guess I oughta stop poking around).

The grudgeon is "U" shaped, 7 1/2" long, 2 1/2" wide and 1 1/4" tall. It is generally 1/4" thick with two bronze pins on the tangs (?) and one bronze screw just behind the 1" bushing or hole. Any help would be...helpful.

Tom

[Tim]

It's unlikely you'll find a direct replacement, but any foundry can make one of those using the old as a pattern. Check out the archives on the Pearson Vanguard Yahoo Group list; there was a recent discussion on having their own rudder shoes cast, with inputs on both stainless and bronze.

[Tommy Bahama]

Thanks Tim, I was afraid of that...does it make a difference if the bronze is cast or milled? I have access to machine shops in my area but the only foundry that I've come accross seems to be geared towards figures and jewelry. I've also considered stainless but after browsing an article on creavas corrosion belowe the water line, I'm not sure if this will be satisfactory.

Thanks,

Tom

[daysailor17]

Dear Tommy Bahama,

I have a 1970 Islander Bahama and wanted to know if you found a replacment gudgeon. I have examined mine and it appears in good shape, but I have not taken it apart as of yet. Maybe in the spring.

If you have found one, please let me know where you found one. E

[CharlieJ]

Try Roger at Bristol Bronze. 401-625-5224.

Be patient- sometimes he's hard to catch, and sometimes he's slow.

[Tommy Bahama]

E,

I have a friend that works with high-tec machinery (rocket scientist) that insisted on building one for me out of stainless. He did an excellent job...I just haven't intalled it yet. I don't plan to launch 'till next spring so I have time to ponder.

Somebody on the forum reported that his stainless didn't hold up well below the waterline, particularly the screws. A search would probably find the article and a nice picture of "worm" corrosion to the threads.

I figure that if I install it it should last until my next bootom painting. I may drop by the harbor (100 mi) and have a bronze one built anyways...It would be a shame to waste this fine stainless one though.

Yours may be fine. I bought my boat from a crowded marina with over 6000 thousand boats that were mostly hooked up to shore power and likely lots of stray current. Mine crumbled when I gently tried to remove it for rudder work.

Tom

[tikvah59]

Working for a private school doesn't provide me with many financial rewards, but I do get lots of time off. Over the past few days I spent way to much time in marine consignments stores in RI and CT.

I was at Marine Consignment of Wickford (RI) and was waiting to part with my credit card in exchange for somebody's cast-off hardware. The folks in front of me were buying a bunch of bronze parts, and talking about casting their own bronze parts. I don't have much info on these people, but in case you can't find somebody locally, here's their contact info:

Heron Bronze
323-258-9613
Julia and Michael

They say they make "Traditional Bronze for Old Boats - custom only."

There is some info on the Nation Triton site about a man in Rhode Island who had the castings for Pearsons and other boats. In talking to the folks from Heron Bronze and the owner of Marine Consignment, I found out that Carroll Harrington of Rostand RI donated all his molds to the International Yacht Restoration School (www.iyrs.org) in Newport, RI. They in turn gave the molds to a business in the midwest - I'm hoping to get that contact info from IYRS. Also, much of the parts inventory from Rostand is now at Marine Consignment. I didn't see any Triton ports or gudgeons there, unfortunately!