Roller Bearing Rudder Upgrade: A DIY Guide for Spade-Rudder Sailboats

Upgrading a spade rudder from nylon bushings to precision roller bearings is a major project, but this step-by-step account from a Cal 40 owner proves it's within reach for any careful DIYer.

By
Tom Egan
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CAD model detail showing modified tube end, 3D printed fairing piece and modified PET-P thrust washer. (Illustration/ Tom Egan)

Have you ever been sailing along and thought to yourself, something just doesn’t feel right. That is what happened to me with our steering on Misirlou, our ancient but venerable 1964 Cal 40. Like the proverbial frog in the pot of water heating up on the stove, the tightness and hard spots came on gradually, without me noticing at first.

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Tom Egan
Tom Egan is an engineer, inventor and lifelong sailor who cruises and races out of his home port Marblehead, Mass on his Cal 40 Misirlou, and just about any boat that will have him.

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