Bearing up

Side effect of bending and mending the tiller's swan neck was recognising the sad state of the upper tiller bearing. This bar is rocking backwards and forwards like Erin Mae on the Shroppie shelf in a Force 5.

Clearly we need a new one of these.

First thing is to get the tiller off with the help of a hydraulic extractor.

Then to the bearing itself. Will it come off by hand?

No chance. What about a crowbar?

Nothing doing. Resort to the angle grinder. Philip says he always ends up doing that.

Bearing casing is cut through. Use a chisel to complete the job.

Oops. Casing came off but the chisel broke in the process. Next up – the bearing itself, seized (naturally) on to the shaft of the rudder. Try the crowbar again.

No joy. It's back to the hydraulic extractor.

Which gave a big jump as it removed the bearing, and fell in the canal. Being a pretty heavy object, it needed the combined strength of my fishing magnet and Philip's to lift it from the bottom.

But thereafter it was was straightforward to clean up the shaft,

fit the new bearing and re-fit the tiller.

All sorted!

While he was at it, I asked to Philip to check out the drive train, so we took Erin Mae down to Aldersley junction and back, getting his opinion on the state of things down below. Very useful. Not the sort of wisdom you easily get out of books.

Strange way to spend a Sunday morning. Certainly a change from going to church!