IMPORTANT STEERING ISSUE-INTERNATIONAL SERIES

[RWS]

I've modified this post for the benefit of all

Given the age of our boats, I suspect this may be a problem ahead for many, so lets get this information out there where it will turn up on a search

The fixed-point of the steering system is anchored to a fiberglass "tower" on the starboard side, far aft.

The factory attaching point is a simple piece of bronze aluminum angle with two 9/16 head bolts, thru-bolted to a piece of plywood

While this is well above the water line, that plywood can in some cases, and especially after nearly 40 years of exposure to a hot, moist Florida marine environment become dry rotted.

The posts ahead will show how to handle this repair and how to gain access.

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Has anyone run into problems with the fixed side (starboard) rudder/steering bracket becoming loose on the 10 Meter?

While running some new speaker wires yesterday I found sloppiness where the mounting bracket attaches to the fiberglass.

There is a good deal of slop in there now.

Access is difficult, but not impossible.

I am considering a deck plate, as I will likely have to fill and re-drill what I expect to find: an egg shaped hole, perhaps two.

Anyone been there done this?

RWS

[prowlersfish]

Any photos ?

[RWS]

will attempt this evening

[RWS]

[prowlersfish]

Do you happen to know if its bolt and nut or lag bolts ?

[RWS]

Do you happen to know if its bolt and nut or lag bolts ?

Arms not long enough to reach in there so unknown if lag bolts or bolt/nut

suspect bolt/nut as that is a highly stressed connection, and there is an intentional access point to the underside.

about 8 years ago that horizontal bolt failed...... I squeezed myself into that space via the lazarette, but doing so now will not give me the ability to do what is now needed.

I posted a video on the Trojan facebook page - you can see how much movement there is

Just wonder if anyone else has dealt with this and how it was resolved.

RWS

[RWS]

Special thanks to Duane Jelly, Paul "Prowlerfish" John Leed and Bob Cushman for information on what I might encounter.

This repair applies to my 1983 10 Meter Express Cruiser, and likely other Internationals and possibly other series Trojans as well.

Yours may look different as during my 2005 refit when the fuel tank was out I replaced the Hynautic 3-line system with a Teleflex, however the attachment point is identical.

Access is through the removable transom inspection door and removable line locker.

Additional access was created with a hole in the cockpit floor for a new deck plate, as close to directly above that attachment point as possible.

i AM UNABLE TO GET THESE PHOTOS IN THE CORRECT ORDER, but the captions are self explanatory.

Basically what was done was to remove the factory above waterline plywood backing plate and replace it with STARBOARD.

Additionally, I added 2 through bolts to eliminate any future possibility to allow the new plate to wobble or walk, as the factory holes in the tower had become egg shaped from all the slop caused by the disappearing backing plate

Scrape the old wood out with a sharp awl and putty knife, vacuum out with a shopvac

Keep in mind these re not in order

The pencil points to the additional throughbolts

I sincerely hope this helps those of us who are likely to encounter the same issue as these boats become longer in tooth

Original engineering and design did not contemplate usage into the 30-40-50 year range

DRILLING STARTER HOLE TO GET BEST ORIENTATION

resized_measure and drilling starter hole.jpg (65.29 KiB) Viewed 5360 times

ADDED 2 ADDITIONAL THRUBOLTS FOR STABILITY

resized_added bolts for stability.jpg (68.19 KiB) Viewed 5358 times

NON FACTORY TELEFLEX SYSTEM BOLTED TO FACTORY BRACKET

resized_teleflex system bracket attached to factory angle bracket.jpg (62.83 KiB) Viewed 5358 times

What plywood didn’t fall out I scrapped out with a sharp awl and putty knife.

Replaced the plywood with starboard and added two bolts to insure it wouldn’t walk or wobble in the future.

STARTER HOLE DRILLED

resized_starter hole drilled.jpg (47.17 KiB) Viewed 5360 times

FACTORY BRACKET & PLYWOOD BACKING PLATE

resized_bracket and rotted wood.jpg (102.95 KiB) Viewed 5360 times

CLEANED UP COLD GALVANIZED BRACKET & STARBOARD

resized_bracket and starboard.jpg (72.2 KiB) Viewed 5360 times

[RWS]

NEW DECKPLATE PLACED AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE

resized_deckplate installed.jpg (41.67 KiB) Viewed 5357 times

DECKPLATE WITH COVER

resized_deckplate complete.jpg (36.22 KiB) Viewed 5357 times

PROJECT WRAPPED

resized_jobcomplete.jpg (79.71 KiB) Viewed 5357 times

[BobCT]

That’ll be good for another 40 years! On the mid cabin, I don’t think this will be an issue. The factory bracket spans across the two main stringers and is lag bolted to the top of each. The location should stay dry. Probably worth checking and/or re-bedding though.