How to measure and/or adjust rudder alignment on 330

Rocklobster

New Member
Oct 11, 2006
40
Farifield County, CT
Boat Info
1997 330 Sundancer
Engines
V-Drive, Carb.
I noticed this winter that on my 330 DA that the rudders are not parallel. I have a feeling that the previous owner removed one of the rudders since I see fiberglass work around one of the rudder posts.

I called Sea Ray and they told me to set them parallel and then kick them inboard by 1/4" inch. Doesn't sound right to me so I thought I'd run it by CSR members.

Has anyone ever looked into this before? I guess I could measure between the leading edges of each rudder and do the same for the trailing edges and make sure it was 1/2" less? Then again, not sure if the bottom of the boat would be in the way to measure between the rudders. It would be easier if they gave me an angle specification I think.

I figure if it's wrong I'll suck down a lot more gas.

Any thoughts?..I'm not sure how to do this.

Thanks,
Joe
 
If you have a problem "seeing" the rudder to get the dimension, then clamp a straight edge to the rudder so it reaches far enough to measure the dimension you need.

Rudders on a boat are kinda like front wheels on a car, a little toe-in is needed to keep them from chasing themselves all over, which is really inefficient. You set the rudders based on their measurement rather then an angle off the hull for much the same reason that you don't set front end alignment based on the fenders of the car.

Its not nuclear science and will be really easy to do once you get into it.......the hardest part is communicating with whomever is inside the boat in such a way that they understand and do what you say!
 

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