RUDDER EXPERIMENT:
TRANSITION TO X-RUDDERS ON A '96 JOHNSON BOAT

by Ted Beier

April 2002

Melges Boat Works did a speedy and professional job in performing the transition. In response to previous agreement, the boat was delivered in Zenda at 7 AM on 8 April, and we were on the road back to St. Louis with the job completed by 11 AM on 9 April. The total cost for the effort was $948.48. The actual changes involved:

1. Removing the existing vertical metallic tubes with 1.00 in. ID and the wooden tube fairings on the deck.

2. Cutting the proper pierce point on the deck to accomodate new tubes which are perpendicular to the tangent plane of the hull surface at the existing hull-rudder shaft pierce point.

3. Replacing the deck material where the former tubes exited. (Excellent match on gel color as I can't tell where the tubes used to be.)

4. Installing new non-metallic 15/16 ID tubes (look to be some kind of PVC).

5. Installing black tube fairings on deck.

6. Adjusting rudder shafts to proper length to get a close, but free turning, fit between the rudder and the hull.

7. Installing new Melges rudder head fittings which were trimmed slightly to fit the existing Johnson tillers.

8. Shortening the existing tiller cross bar to maintain parallel rudders.

Some of my thoughts/impressions:

I had not expected that they would do the mod on the cross bar, and was plesantly surprised with their effort to true up the rudders.

Having to replace the rudder head fittings was expected since these rudders have a 15/16 diameter shaft instead of a 1 in. diameter shaft. However, a cost of $100.00 for these seemed a bit on the high side. Older Johnson boats that have the tillers with side plates instead of a channel will require more modification to remove the side plates, trim the backs of the tillers, and add the channel.

The fit of these shafts in the tubes is much better than the previous ones, and exhibits minimal freeplay, but is free turning and smooth.

The tool they have developed for determining the proper trajectory for the new tube, which is based on the existing hull shape instead of a pre set location is very good, and compensates for the vagaries in shape from hull to hull to provide the proper orientation between rudder blade and hull.

All around, the modification was very well done.