Plastic Classic Forum

Hi guys,

I removed my tiller to give it a fresh coat of varnish, and noticed that under the tiller head is a cracked up piece of plastic. Between the rudder shaft and the fiberglass of the cockpit floor.

Is looks like a bushing, and I'm wondering if it is the cause for the water that seeps out around the rudder shaft when sailing with a boat load of people?

Thanks.

Zach

There are 700-some Tritons, and I swear each one has a different tiller head and shaft configuration.

Similarly, there are 700-some ways that people have amended the original setup over the years, some effective and some not.

The point I'm getting at is that it's hard to know what you're describing without seeing it, since there are so many differences between boats.

Good point!

I'll snap a picture the next time I'm down there.

Pictures:





I got up real close, and did some studying. It looks like the cracks are in the fiberglass skin that makes up the cockpit sole. Through the large crack on the port side I can see the fiberglass rudder shaft tube.

Wonder what kind of wiggling and motion it takes to get flex there, or if it is from people walking in the cockpit?

(I should really sweep before photo-ops.)