Copper wire on rudder shaft

[CapTim]

Just stripped 32 coats of paint off the rudder shaft. There is a piece of copper wire through the shaft and twisted. Why?

[ready123]

I guess a prior owner did not have a roll pin.....
Does your installation look like this?

[CapTim]

Yes it does, and after much scraping looks like the
Wire is through the roll pin.
After much debate a buddy of mine consulted an
Old salt friend and he said it is bonding
wire and is used for electrolysis.

Any thoughts?

Thanks for the first reply thst helps a lot!

[prowlersfish]

A bonding wire would normally have a terminal on it . And be fastened to the tiler bolt ( if fastened to the rudder ) , not run thru the roll pin . I believe Trojan normally just ran the bonding wire to a bolt on the rudder port/packing box .

Did you trace the wire ?

[CapTim]

The wire was twisted to itself.

[P-Dogg]

The wire was twisted to itself.

To hold a loose roll pin in place perhaps....

[captainmaniac]

If it was through where the roll pin is... are you saying you had 32 coats of paint on the rudder shaft inside of the boat??? Something doesn't make sense.

If it was where the roll pin is supposed to be, its purpose would have been to make sure the rudder doesn't drop out of the boat.

[prowlersfish]

Photo

[ready123]

The wire was twisted to itself.

To hold a loose roll pin in place perhaps....

+1