Top of a pearson rudder post...

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svMira
Master Varnisher
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Boat Name: Mira
Boat Type: Pearson Wanderer 30
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Top of a pearson rudder post...

Post by svMira »

My '71 Wanderer has wheel steering, the top of my rudder post ends below the deck and has a square top. There's an round aluminum hatch above it to allow for an emergency tiller, a big ugly single alumunim thing. The wheel is an Edson mounted well forward and I can can't tell if it is original or not.

What does the top of a factory Pearson rudder post look like if it has a tiller? If I would want to change it a tiller, does one just add a coupler and build some kind of sleeve in the deck to hold the upper part of the shaft true? I've never seen a Pearson tiller steered rudder shaft up close, so I don't know what's 'normal'.
Marvin - s/v Mira - 1971 Pearson Wanderer #174
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atomvoyager
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Re: Top of a pearson rudder post...

Post by atomvoyager »

Is the PW rudder shaft deck plate up on the afterdeck or down on the footwell?

I don't know the shaft diameter but after you extend it you can try something like this exterior rudder port:
https://www.deepblueyachtsupply.com/00r ... dder-ports

I'm faced soon with a similar problem of converting from wheel to tiller steering on a Cheoy Lee Clipper 33 with a square rudder shaft head but at least it's already above the footwell. The only rudderhead/tiller strap assemblies currently available I've found from Edson and Spartan marine are for round and keyed rudder shafts. I may have to weld something up out of stainless plates. There may be some supplier out there so let us know what you find.

You might try to contact this guy for more info on the Wanderer rudder shaft and fittings:
https://www.sailblogs.com/member/newp-wanderer
svMira
Master Varnisher
Posts: 104
Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2018 10:16 pm
Boat Name: Mira
Boat Type: Pearson Wanderer 30
Contact:

Re: Top of a pearson rudder post...

Post by svMira »

The post on my Wanderer is below the footwell.

And that is why I post here.... I didn't even know those rudder ports were a thing. I'm betting I'd have room for one of these, once I build up the base to be angled to match the rudder post angle.
https://www.deepblueyachtsupply.com/00r ... dder-ports
They even have them in different shaft sizes, so I could match it to my 1 1/2".

Was guessing, that if I could properly support the upper shaft sufficiently, then I could link the two with something like this:
Image
Marvin - s/v Mira - 1971 Pearson Wanderer #174
svmira.ca
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