OK, I wasn't going to publish a post about what an idiot I am but if I adopt that rule I may never write again. So, here's the latest on the rudder.
We took the rudder to Hill Mechanical in Chicago to have the two holes drilled in the shaft. I had previously put the rudder in and marked where the holes go rather than just copy the old rudder to make sure I got it "just right". The top cap is easy because you can see it right there in the cockpit. The steering quadrant connects down below where it is small and dark and hard to see. There is a bolt that goes right through the shaft here through some plates that firmly connects the quadrant to the shaft. I could only see the head of the bolt and not the other side of the shaft. No problem. As long as I mark where this hole is I can still have the shop drill straight through a diameter there which they did.
Oh no! You built it just like I said!
Upon trying to reassemble on Tuesday I discoverd that my assumption about this bolt going right through the diameter was wrong. It is canted at an angle through the shaft. If I had dissassemble the quadrant and brought it out into the light like I SHOULD have done I would have discoved this. I would have given the shop the entire thing and just said, "Make it like this".
So, Wednesday I had to take the rudder back to Hill. They are now welding and redrillilng. I hope to get it back tomorrow so I can really, really install it on Saturday. This time for sure, right?
The hard part about working on your own boat is that you do each job once and never get good at any of them.
No other major updates. As you can see, party plans are coming along. I hope you all come down and help us celebrate. It won't belong before I can start checking the long range forcast!
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