tophatyachts.com

Hi All,

I would be grateful if anyone can give me some advice about my stern bearing.
My MK2 has an unusual stern bearing - not the usual rubber cutless bearing but instead a bronze bearing lined with white metal which fits snugly around the shaft.
The shaft is in the midline of the boat with the 3 bladed propeller in a small cutout in the keel in front of the rudder.
The motor is a Yanmar 20.
The bearing is getting noisy with a bit of play. I am told by the boatyard that it can be removed and the white metal in the bearing replaced.
Has anyone had one of these bearings serviced?
I am assuming that they did not use a cutless bearing on the original installation because of lack of space between the back of the keel and the rudder. Also with this arrangement it would be necessary to remove the rudder to pull the shaft and replace the bearing.

Cheers,

Bart

I have had a cutless bearing replaced, but have no experience with white metal. I think I recall my father (a fitter and turning) telling me it was reasonable easy to turn. I mention this because it may not be too expensive to have a replacement machined, though it will be a bit of mucking about removing the prop shaft and rudder.

Let us know how you get on.

Mark

Mark,

If you have the normal cut out in the rudder you will have to drop the rudder to remove the propellor.

To do so you need to drop the rudder shoe on the keel. The shoes were originally fixed with bronze rod which was roved over, but a couple of us have replaced the bronze rod with SS threaded rod.

There are old posts on this subject (pre this new site).

Is it posible to post a picture of the fitting (from inside)?

Phillip.

Thanks Phillip and Mark,

My rudder shoe has stainless rod but I have sufficient room behind the prop to remove it without removing the rudder. I will get the bearing redone and let you know how it goes.

Cheers,

Bart