Yes I suspect you would have found a way to haywire your way around it Red. It seems off to me that nothing could be done either.
I'd agree that it seems off that nothing could be done to free the rudder. But it may be that what those on baord knew how to do might have created a bigger problem. Perhaps it would have made a hole in the boat that would have sunk it. If that was invovled in the fix, then I might have left it alone too.