Rusty Rudder Post Wrangle | DIY Steel Boat Refit in Alaska

In this 17-minute video, I take you into the lazarette of the s/v Alaskan Gypsy to wrestle with a critical piece of the steering system: the rudder post. We are working on restoring this 1992 80' OA steel triple masted schooner in the Wrangell, Alaska shipyard to make it into our 4 - seasons liveaboard life of adventure platform. What starts as a “this should just drop right out of here” job turns into a battle with rust, old packing, and decades of corrosion. With some heat, PB Blaster, and patience, we finally drop the post out of the boat - revealing exactly why a non-stainless steel shaft doesn’t belong in a packing gland. But really, maybe 33 years of faithful service is enough!? If you’re into DIY boat repair, steel schooner restoration, and shipyard problem-solving, you’ll probably be able to stay awake for most of this production. Subscribe & follow along as we rebuild our 80’ steel motor-sailer in Wrangell, Alaska — one stubborn part at a time. 00:00 – Intro: Rudder Wrangle in the Lazarette 00:20 – Why the Rudder Post Had to Come Out 01:15 – Checking the Steering Rams & Connections 02:00 – Packing Gland & Rust Concerns 03:00 – Outside Hull Inspection: Suspected Leaks 05:00 – Tying Off the Rudder Post for Safety 06:00 – Time-Lapse: Heating, PB Blaster & Patience 08:40 – Next Morning: Progress with the Packing Gland 11:00 – Digging Out Old Packing Material 13:40 – Final Shreds of Packing Pulled Free 15:40 – Rudder Post Drops Out of the Boat! 17:10 – Examining the Corroded Rudder Post 18:30 – Lessons Learned & Next Steps for the Refit #AlaskanGypsy #BoatRestoration #SteelBoat #ShipyardLife #BoatDIY #RudderRepair #BoatRefit #WrangellAlaska