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Re: Hydraulic Rudder Control or lack there of

Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2019 6:00 am
by Wdavies
I have an 88 F-36. I have a purge valve in the system near the reservoir. Just like a bleeder valve for breaks on a car. For me I loosen the locking nut, turn the screw on top then turn the wheel lock to lock about 10 times to purge.

Bill Davies

Re: Hydraulic Rudder Control or lack there of

Posted: Sat Jun 15, 2019 12:32 am
by Medic4U
I looked for a bleeder port of any sort, and do not see any. I tried spinning th e wheel to starboard several hundred times, then back a few dozen times, nothing. I'll wait until I have a second person on board & try breaking an inlet to the hydraulic ram loose.

And now, another issue has arisen... I now know why the previous owner put two way valves, & a bypass hose between the inlet & outlet of the water heater, it i s rusted out! Looks like it will be quite the undertaking to get it out. Looks like a winter project, going to have to remove the fresh water tank to access the water heater... UGH! That's OK, I'd rather spend my labor fixing up my boat than paying someone else... So no hot water this year. But there's always next year...

Re: Hydraulic Rudder Control or lack there of

Posted: Sat Jun 15, 2019 10:05 am
by prowlersfish
The bleeders don't look like a brake bleeder you maybe use to and they bleed internally . Not called bleeders but called purge screws part od the relief valve block .



Yours is mounted below you reservoir , AND I may see a issue it looks like the lock nut is missing on one the lose on the other . One screw looks backed out , so that could be the issue .


Look at your second photo !!!!!

Re: Hydraulic Rudder Control or lack there of

Posted: Sat Jun 15, 2019 10:14 am
by prowlersfish
prowlersfish wrote: Sat Jun 15, 2019 10:05 am The bleeders don't look like a brake bleeder you maybe use to and they bleed internally . Not called bleeders but called purge screws part od the relief valve block .



Yours is mounted below you reservoir , AND I may see a issue it looks like the lock nut is missing on one the lose on the other . One screw looks backed out , so that could be the issue .


Look at your second photo !!!!!
look at the r upper corner of your photo

Re: Hydraulic Rudder Control or lack there of

Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2019 10:49 pm
by WayWeGo
Medic4U wrote: Sat Jun 15, 2019 12:32 amAnd now, another issue has arisen... I now know why the previous owner put two way valves, & a bypass hose between the inlet & outlet of the water heater, it i s rusted out! Looks like it will be quite the undertaking to get it out. Looks like a winter project, going to have to remove the fresh water tank to access the water heater... UGH! That's OK, I'd rather spend my labor fixing up my boat than paying someone else... So no hot water this year. But there's always next year...
The valves and bypass you are describing sound exactly like what you need to quickly winterize your hot water heater without filling it with antifreeze. That won't fix the water heater, but might be a good idea to leave in place when you replace it.

Re: Hydraulic Rudder Control or lack there of

Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2019 10:54 pm
by WayWeGo
prowlersfish wrote: Sat Jun 15, 2019 10:05 amYours is mounted below you reservoir , AND I may see a issue it looks like the lock nut is missing on one the lose on the other . One screw looks backed out , so that could be the issue .
Since the photo is sideways, here is what prowlersfish is talking about:

Steering%2520Resivoir%20%20%20loose%20screws.jpg
Steering%2520Resivoir%20%20%20loose%20screws.jpg (48.5 KiB) Viewed 8315 times

Re: Hydraulic Rudder Control or lack there of

Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2019 11:01 pm
by prowlersfish
Thanks WayWeGo That is exactly what I was talking about . :D And sure would cause the issue

Re: Hydraulic Rudder Control or lack there of

Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2019 10:27 am
by Medic4U
Thanks guys. I'm staying aboard tonight, and will take a look before I make the bed. I will look for the purge valve lock nut in the bilge or replace it if needed, and advise. Thanks again.

Re: Hydraulic Rudder Control or lack there of

Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2019 12:00 pm
by prowlersfish
Make sure the screws are turned in .

Re: Hydraulic Rudder Control or lack there of

Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2019 3:52 pm
by Medic4U
Sorry, been out of the country for a bit. Came back, closed the two bleeder screws, added some pressure back, spun the wheel both directions hundreds of revolutions each direction. No change. At this point, I have so many other things to do, I am going to take care of it, and several other significant issues this winter. Although very frustrating, I have gotten pretty good at good at maneuvering the boat by gear position, and throttle position. I still want rudder control, but next year, after I can see what is going on, inside, and outside the boat with the rudders...

One addition I have made, and will be adding to/finishing this winter is the removal of, and selling of my 6.5 Onan Genset, with a whopping 94.1 hours on it!!! It was never used, but I am replacing it with a bank of AGM batteries, and a few more highly efficient Pure Sine Wave Inverters. The product I work with now uses them, and U have two on board now. One handles all loads, except AC, and the galley, and the other is on a circuit I designed that automatically turns on a dedicated inverter large enough to power my refrigerator when away from Shore Power. This Tri-Cabin will become a very sought after, fuel efficient cruiser that will lit silently in the water, yet allow you to to sit comfortably within your air conditioned cabins, without a generator running. The battery bank, and inverters will not weigh more than the gen get it is replacing.

Re: Hydraulic Rudder Control or lack there of

Posted: Wed Jul 31, 2019 6:39 am
by prowlersfish
Fixing the steering would be at the top of my list . Have you tryed the auto pilot ? Is it working ? Is the generator not reparable ? Not having one will hurt the value .