what the h, it's a gorgeous evening and I'm enjoying a tangerine sea breeze........
That T'shaped donut in my 338, the upper bearing in the tube is, according to the manual, made from this third of a cxentury old (but forgiving) black micarta. badly out of round, useless. We have had a discussion on this subject various times here. One intrepid professional has used part of a cutlass bearing as a substitute for the original. You don't want a wobbly rudder.
You might sight down your rudder-tube as I did when the rudder is out just to see how things line up to assess your options. If it is dead strate to the shoe the cutlass is righton. But my frp tube was glassed in about 5/8 of an inch out of line. So a short bearing like the first is what I'm stuck with.
IMHO you need the cap to keep the bearing in place and protect it. But you may have to provide more tooth to the top of the tube by reworking the top with epoxy and glass powder - to be able to set the cap screws. Mine is all chewed up from attempts to keep it in place.
Also, after you release the gudgeon on the keel and remove the bearing you are able to slip the rudder shaft out of the bustle by lifting it off the shoe, not possible with a lower bearing (like a couple of tritons I've seen have.) IMHO the g., even if it is merely a strap, is very important for rudder security. I've seen an ariel in the yard without a functioning shoe, depending only on the strap and the bearing on the top to keep the rudder in the boat.
IMHO, I haven't decided yet, but machined delrin seems to be a choice for a modern remake.
I'm not even going to ask who's looked down their rudder tube! Fair hulls, Ebb
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