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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Loose Gudgeons

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padobrog
Deckhand

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1 Posts

Initially Posted - 10/23/2006 : 14:37:51

The bolts holding the lower rudder gudgeon on my 1982 Catalina 25 becomes loose every time I sail even though I tighten it as securely as I can before I depart. Any suggestions as to how I can prevent this?

Edited by - on

djn
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1561 Posts

Response Posted - 10/23/2006 : 15:52:31

If you are hauling your boat this winter, I would drill out the holes and use through bolts. If not, then go with Red Loctight. A line of that drawn across the threads will lock it in. Cheers.

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 10/23/2006 : 16:13:26

lockwasher?

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Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 10/23/2006 : 16:35:18

when I bought my 25 the lower gudgeon was loose and leaking. When hauled out I replaced them with the heavy duty Catalina Direct Gudgeons, and used 5/16" machine bolts, and bedded with 4200. Of course I had to add an access plate on the inside of the transom for the upper gudgeon nuts.
No more loose, leaky gudgeons. The pintles sit tighter in the heavy duty gudgeons too.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 10/23/2006 : 19:16:58

whoa, Frank, you could cut through your transom? I know how thick the transom was on my 82 and from what I can tell the transom on the 89 must be 4 or five times thicker. I thought it might even be solid. How thick was the plug when it came out?

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Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 10/23/2006 : 20:23:55

Hey Frank
I'm not sure if you are asking about the upper, or lower gudgeon, so I'll babble about both
The structural part of the transom, or outer hull if you will, is about an inch and a quarter thick if I remember correctly. You gotta crawl on your belly like a reptile to get to the transom, taking off that small little access panel. Of course you and I both have 89 models, I don't know about earlier models.
so for the lower gudgeon it was easy to drill all the way through, then use fender washers. I usually use a regular washer on top of the fender washer as it is so hard to find thick fender washers. Most places sell those thin weenie fender washers, probably made in China.
For the upper gudgeon I cut a hole only through the cockpit side of the transom, which again is about 3/8" thick and installed one of those 8 inch round beckson access hatches. I used my rotozip tool for this.This enabled me to get at the back side of the main transom to install the washers and nuts. Here you have about a 1/2" space between the cockpit liner and transom. The factory glassed in a bronze plate which was drilled and tapped to receive the 1/4" machine screws for the original installation. I always prefer machine bolts over machine screws, and larger bolts too, as I use a mast up and want the gudgeons to be rock solid to support it without coming out. That's why I upsized to a 5/16"
If I ever learn how to use a digital camera and how to post, I'll send pics, but I'm fairly tired of all this technology.

As an aside, when I upgraded my motor mount I used six 3/8" bolts as opossed to the original four 5/16" bolts. Since there is an inner hull liner at this location with about a half inch space between I made up some epoxy putty to force into this space so the inner liner wouldn't compress into this void and thus have a looser connection.

I'm kinda like Tim Allen on tooltime and want to upgrade and make everything stronger.
Sure wish I could upgrade and make myself stronger too, but I'm workin on it.

So no, I didn't cut a huge hole into my transom. It would look kinda funky if I did though. Who knows, job offers from Hunter and Macgregor would come in then. Everybody knows how smart we Franks are.

Hope this answered your question.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 10/23/2006 : 21:03:32

I could believe that our inner transoms are 3/8" thick, that is thick. My 82 was flexible to the touch.

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Heartbeat
Navigator

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USA
161 Posts

Response Posted - 10/24/2006 : 15:58:54

Padabrog,

As others have said, if it just the lowers that you are having trouble with, those are easy. Crawl back there and through-bolt them (1/4" or 5/16" bolts )with back plates and then bed everything in with 4200. Of course, upgraded strength gudgeons from CD are a great idea.

The upper one is more difficult. I replaced mine this spring. I cut a 4" hole and put in a deck plate to cover the hole I created to access the transom to tighten the nuts. It is right below the rudder on the back edge of the cockpit. (For reference, the glass thickness on my '85 was about 1.5 inches.)

Good luck.

-Matt

Edited by - Heartbeat on 10/24/2006 16:00:10

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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.