Thanks for the info, I am working with Edison on new bearings as I am sure this will solve the problems as well. Hope to have the boat back out racing one design by the end of the summer. We live in San Luis Obispo, so we will be doing a lot of trailering to and from regattas. However, we will be out racing, I didn't buy the boat to have it sit in our yard. Just working it up over the next couple of months on the Central Coast and working up the crew. Tom

:: It shouldn't be too tight but shouldn't slop around
:: either. About a year ago a lot of us went in on new
:: rudder bearings. Not sure if #116 was one of the boats
:: (or if a previous owner bought new bearings elsewhere)
:: but this may be the problem you are seeing. It wouldn't
:: hurt to get new bearings made for the boat. Though this
:: may be a bit difficult now that we don't have a source
:: for them again. You basically have to take the rudder
:: out so they can fabricate bearings specifically for your
:: boat. There was a lot of differences in the outer
:: diameters of the bearings.
::
:: Hope this helps.
::
:: And when are you getting your boat out here to race???
::

:: -Jason

::
:: :: After purchasing 116 in March, before I sailed the boat
:: :: I decided to remove the rudder from the boat. I did this
:: :: because the rudder felt really tight and not totally
:: :: free to turn. Basically, I was affraid the tiller would
:: :: not be that sensative to feel the boat. Once I removed
:: :: the rudder from the boat I inspected and cleaned the
:: :: shaft as well as the derlin top and bottom bearings. I
:: :: reinstalled the rudder and did so by introducing a good
:: :: water capable grease to the shaft. After sailing the
:: :: boat for the first time I was ammazed still at how tight
:: :: the rudder felt in the boat although there was some
:: :: improvment. My question is this: Do all E27's have
:: :: 'tight' rudder shafts? Have people rectified the problem
:: :: with some solution and what is the solution. Has anyone
:: :: ever installed Harken or Edison rudder bearings?
:: ::
:: :: Thanks for the info.