Bottom blacking and replacing top bearing of the rudder assembly

Bottom blacking always comes around too soon!!!   It has been 3.5 years since we last painted Coventina's bottom and we have just had a week in the dry dock at Mills Dockyard at Trent Lock/ start of Erewash Canal.

The steelwork turned out to be in better condition than anticipated.  Not too much rust and more importantly, not too much pitting of the hull.   The anodes have done their job and so it seems we had too at the last bottom blacking.  Perhaps a full week with adequate drying in between coats also helps!

After jet washing and preparing the hull, the following day we completed the first full coat of bitumen; she was starting to look good!  We were very lucky with the weather.  The first two days were sunny and therefore the paint dried well and we managed to get a lot of other bits completed too.

Our rudder vibrations can no longer be ignored - top bearing to replace and skeg cup to investigate!

Chris, Steve and Liam tried to remove the tiller to start the job.  After many years of rusting etc, it was pretty much stuck.   However, after persevering, banging, oiling and eventually heating the tiller boss, it came off !! with Chris attached !!!  the top bearing had to be cut off with a grinder.

New top rudder bearing 

We replaced both the bearing and bearing housing.  With the rudder lifted out of the bottom skeg cup, Chris was able to insert a piece of plastic piping to tighten the free play in the cup.   Reassembled and finished by lunchtime.  What a great job. To keep the rudder bearing drier in future, why not use the end cup of a rubber sink plunger!?

We lived onboard for the week in the dry dock, enjoying many different types of local cuisine from the many takeaways in Long Eaton/Sawley an easy walk from the boatyard.

Johnsons Chandlery is located at Mills Dockyard. It is excellent, the staff are so helpful and friendly, very handy for some bits and bobs we needed.

  

Wednesday brought torrential rain most of the day causing the River Trent to go into flood.  Although we came out of the dry dock on the Saturday, we were unable to cruise back up the River Trent to Shardlow until  Sunday when the river level had receded just enough. Plenty of revs and a good 'workout' for the engine ensued! 

Leaving Sawley Locks 😀