Destroyed Rudder

[Kelsey]

This last weekend while wakesurfing we hit a rock and ripped the rudder right off. Amazingly, I can't see any other damage. Not even a ding in the prop. Is this possible? I have checked the seals around the shaft and the steering hardware. Everything looks fine, but I'm not an expert. I have researched a lot and it sounds like it's not too tough to repair. Anybody know of somewhere where I can find step by step instructions?

It is an 04 XLV

[tazz3069]

Sorry about the mishap. OUCH!!!!. You may be able to find a replacement ruddder with instructions from www.skidim.com. Hope this helps.
Tazz

[2000OUTBACK]

That sucks but atleast you did not do any more damage!!

[kaneboats]

Should be able to get the whole rudder assembly from skidim. Make sure you get the right one for your port or else get a new port.

[Kelsey]

Naive optimism I guess. I heard back from the dealership today. Apparently the shaft and strut need replaced as well. But the prop is fine. How can I hit my strut and rudder and not the prop? Is the dealership ripping me off?

My deductible is $750 which is less than the materials if I were to do it myself. That kind of makes it a no brainer I guess.

[kaneboats]

You might have hit the rudder and bounced right past the prop and whacked the strut when you came down.

[Kelsey]

I thought about that scenario too.

We were moving forward so it would have to be hit the strut, bounce past the prop and then hit the rudder. I suppose its possible but highly unlikely. What are the chances my strut was already bent and I didn't notice? There would have been some vibration or something right?

[kaneboats]

Guess I got that one backward. Not nearly as likely that you hit the strut and bump over the prop and take out the rudder. Sounds more like the strut may have already been damaged.

[brentsmiley]

If you hit a rock, there should be real damage to the prop. A tree stump, however, might not do much to the prop while still taking out the rudder and drive shaft. That's what happened to me. One little ding in the prop, bent rudder, bent drive shaft, bent housing.

So, yeah, it's possible.

[Kelsey]

Brent,

Thanks for the input. We hit a rock though. I know because I was surfing at the time. When the boat hit it bumped up a foot or so. I fell out of the wave and sunk, right onto a submerged boulder 2-3 ft below the surface.

Secondly we sheered our rudder right off at the hull. The dealership says it is designed to do this which makes sense (rather the rudder than the hull).

I'm still struggling to figure this one out. But the upside is the boat is fixed, I went right back to surfing and threw the rope for the first time this weekend!!!