??? Rudder ???

[Deep C]

Been at this game a long time ... Today was a first. Decided to do a zinc change... Nothing new to that... While under the boat I did an inventory so I can take notes when we get to the yard next week... Nothing new with that.
Three intakes? Check... Two shafts? Check... Two props? Check... Zincs? Pretty well done... Two rudders? hmmmmmm! Recount.... One....

Sheared off clean just below the hull!

I'm at a loss for words. No idea when, where or how. Metal where it was clean and shiny, while surrounding stuff has typical basin dirt build up...??? Checked mud under us and cant find it??? Vanished... Sheared shafts before, have thrown a prop blade, but never just had a rudder vanish...

[clt_capt]

Damn - that sux. When was the last time you counted rudders? No dings on the prop?

Damn good thing it snapped off with the seal still in place - that could have been really ugly.

[Deep C]

They were definately there in early November as I froze my ass off inspecting before running south and pretty sure I saw them both from land when the water was clear right after Thanksgiving...
Wheels hang two or more inches below rudders and not a scratch on them...

When I saw it there was a loud noise behind me.... My butt slamming shut. Yes, snapping off higher would have been a definately different outcome.

Walked on water getting back in boat to check on leak rate but same as usual. They were scheduled to be repacked this trip as that one was was tightened down pretty much all the way and still dripped...

Clean metal at the break has me the most confused. Looks like stress, no "red" indicating electrolysis...

[Bligh]

Around 1987 I was hired to show a liscensced captain and also the owner how to get his boat to the keys from margate NJ. He never made the trip and the boat was only about a year old. sounds easy huh? we left GE bell at sun up and we were maybe 3 or 4 miles off chink o teaque VA {thats some funny spelling huh?} in 3 to 4 ft following swells. Nice fast ride. It was on Auto pilot and cruising RPM. BOOM Grind crunch silence from one of the 3208s. It broke a crank we found out later. Now I made a decision to turn around and make OC Md my goal with one engine. It wouldnt happen. I could not turn the boat into the following swells, I even tried draging a bucket from the cleat I wanted to turn towards. It would not turn on one engine??? I was at a loss for reason? I decided to call the CG. This was before sea tow days when the CG was there to help. We got towed into asateaque or whatever comervial docks. Cat came down and diagnosed the broken crank and asked us to get boat to OC andf they would fix under warantee. I went and poked around under the boat and found the rudder missing on the side with the good engine. Broke right below the hull. No hoist fascilities so we hired a diver and made the switch tied to the dock in 5 ft of water. With a good rudder on a good engine I was able to get the boat to OCmd. 3 weeks later we made the trip sucessfully. I learned a twin engine boat, on one engine is useless without a good rudder on that engine. Hows that for shit happens? I just remembered an important part, When we pulled the rudder switch there was a barnacle growing on the broken shaft. That means it was broke off for a while?

[canyongear]

Deep it happened to a buddy on a 55' Viking with only 100 hours on her..not that it's a Viking issue, had to have them both replaced, bad casting in a particular series apparently.

Rudder gremlins?

[Innovator]

I lost two rudders on two different occasions while running a 52' Viking I used to work for. It seems Viking had some sort of problem with rudders coming from one of their manufactures. I know they straightened it out with a new manufacture, replaced at no charge, and never had a problem after that.

[Deep C]

Well that makes me feel a little better but... wow... This boat rides bow heavy and wet and alweays has been a bear to steer. Brought her 1200 miles from Jersey and felt nothing indicating it was gone. In hind sight though she actually seemed to steer easier??? Maybe??? Who knows??? Caught me totally off guard. The bare metal on the exposed shaft with no growth though has me baffled... No marina slime on it but every where else has it?

[aprilfool]

it is a fairly common viking problem, my buddy lost one on a new 64 last yr @ ma500

[Bligh]

it is a fairly common viking problem, my buddy lost one on a new 64 last yr @ ma500

It does seem funny that so many are happening to viking? I know bill likes to do as much inhouse as possible but I find it hard to believe hes doing his own rudders? Here is one simple possibility, When I used to help set up new boat systems. You had to limit the rudder turning radius or the rudder could break off from all the pressure. Maybe the rudder is being allowed to turnfrom straight too much? Too bad I know bobby Walker {the old R&D engineer} would have never let that happen more then once? He has to be retired now with a new replacement that wouldnt have anything hands on experience like bobby

[TROPHY SPORTFISHING]

metal fatigue or electrolisis.