Dealer says Nautique doesn't need rudder pulled, but Tige does?!?

[IDBoating]

I'm getting a warranty transmission swap on my boat, and visited the shop yesterday to drop off a part. The Service Coordinator said they had to pull my rudder because it is in the way of pulling the propshaft rearward to release the PCM v-drive. That makes sense to me.

However, he also said they DON'T have to pull the rudder on Nautiques for the same operation "because the rudder and propshaft are offset on Nautiques". They're having to call PCM and get 4.5 hours of additional labor approved because of this arrangement, which he said is not necessary on Nautiques.

Huh?

Does this make sense to anybody? Nautique cannot possibly have a non-centered prop or a non-centered rudder, can they? I can imagine Nautique having more fore-to-aft distance between their prop and rudder, but mine is a 24 footer so if any towboat was going to have enough distance there I'd think it would be mine. Yet this guy seemed surprised, and obviously they didn't expect it since they're having to get approval for more warranty labor than they originally negotiated with PCM.

[talltigeguy]

It makes perfect sense. The Nautique rudder will look something like this...and the shaft can just slide right out without hitting the rudder, but on the Tige the rudder will be in the way and you cannot remove the prop shaft without removing the rudder first.

[ragboy]

don't knock it, some have proposed that this may have some reason why the tige wake is the same on both sides.

;-)

[robert theisen]

don't knock it, some have proposed that this may have some reason why the tige wake is the same on both sides.

;-)

I think Ragboy has a good point there.

[JreisRZR]

yea ive heard you may have to adjust the nautiques rudder or something

[IDBoating]

don't knock it, some have proposed that this may have some reason why the tige wake is the same on both sides.

Not knocking it at all, it seems perfectly logical to me that everything would be symmetrical (as on a Tige). I was just astonished that anyone would build a boat any other way. I wonder if Nautique is trying to compensate for the crankshaft rotation direction or something.

I'll keep my (properly built) symmetrical Tige, thank you very much!

[91Terminator]

Wow taking it out or not did nobody catch the 4.5 hours more to pull the rudder it should take about 10 mins to drop the rudder out. and about 10 more to reinstall it. not 4.5 hours more.

They are just trying to scare you into trading for a Nautique when yours is out of warranty.

[IDBoating]

Wow taking it out or not did nobody catch the 4.5 hours more to pull the rudder it should take about 10 mins to drop the rudder out. and about 10 more to reinstall it. not 4.5 hours more.

Yeah, I thought that was excessive but I'm not a boat tech. Maybe that was including a bunch of other stuff, who knows.

They are just trying to scare you into trading for a Nautique when yours is out of warranty.

Funny you should say that. As we were wrapping up he said "We just got in a brand new Nautique 230, I don't think we've even taken off the wrap yet."

Me: "OK, I'll trade you straight across for my 24Ve. It'll give me a chance to design an ultra-ballast system for a Nautique."

Him: "Ha ha, they don't let me make deals like that."

[kko]

It makes perfect sense. The Nautique rudder will look something like this...and the shaft can just slide right out without hitting the rudder, but on the Tige the rudder will be in the way and you cannot remove the prop shaft without removing the rudder first.

Curious do we know for sure what type boat is in this pic? Thanx

[duffymahoney]

Dropping the rudder only takes like 5 minutes. If memory serves me remove the tiller arm and I think the grease zerts as well. I did this on my centurion. Same exact rudder.

[dom w. forte]

Curious do we know for sure what type boat is in this pic? Thanx

I know thats not a nautique rudder in the picture, looks like an older Tige.

[Ewok]

It makes sense to offset the rudder to help counteract some of the torque and P-factor. They build airplane rudders with a slight bit of offset on some single engine models with high HP engines. Some other types of airplanes come with a Mx adjustable trim tab for the rudder instead of the slight offset in the rudder built in. Different ways to skin a cat.

[rushin]

Dropping the rudder depends on the trailers prop guard. The rudder comes down however you need room for the shaft to come out also. If there is no room then the rudder flange needs to be unbolted from the hull and the sealant broke loose (and this is not a quick and easy job) and the flange and rudder come down together.

Even though the rudder is diconnected and comes down it is still in the flange that is fastened to the hull and has no play.

I had to replace the rudder on our RZ.

[chpthril]

Dropping the rudder depends on the trailers prop guard. The rudder comes down however you need room for the shaft to come out also. If there is no room then the rudder flange needs to be unbolted from the hull and the sealant broke loose (and this is not a quick and easy job) and the flange and rudder come down together.

Even though the rudder is diconnected and comes down it is still in the flange that is fastened to the hull and has no play.

I had to replace the rudder on our RZ.

For a DIY'er, I agree 100%, but for dealer/repair shop, they should have a forklift or hoist that would allow them to lift the stern of the boat off the trailer 5-6 inches to gain the needed clearance.

[rushin]

Very true.


If they had the smarts