I got to the shop this morning to find Dave carefully tapping 16, 3/8″ holes into the rudder post.  Those will be able to take over 30 tons of torke.   The maximum load for the 4 by 6 foot rudder is about 20 tons.  Water is amazing stuff.  It’s easy to forget how heavy it is.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We came up with the great idea of using a stud tapped into the center of the rudder post.  This will allow us to easily position the quadrant onto the post and then line up the bolt holes around the edge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 It also allows us to attache a ring nut to the stud.  When the quadrant is removed the ring nut provides a lifting point for the rudder post.  The dam thing weights close to 150 pounds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After learning things to avoid and burning up two cameras and a servo we finally have everything in the main camera section and the first thruster section working.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The thrusters are both working but only from an servo tester at this point.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The thurster section floods.  It’s not needed but we protect the bullet connectors with 3M Scotchkote.   It’s like rubber cement.