steering issues :(

Yesterday, as we were sailing from Leros to Patmos, we had some problems with our steering on the boat.  We had the autopilot on as we were making our way out of the bay from Leros, and I heard a strange sound and looked over and one of the tillers which steer the boat was sitting sideways from it’s normal position!  I at once shoved the motor in neutral, and checked to see if we had any steering with the other rudder, we didn’t L!! The welds in the stainless steel brackets, which turn the rudders below the boat, had cracked completely and fallen apart.  

We were still in the bay and considered doubling back for repairs and after looking at it for a bit (and making sure we weren’t drifting into the rocks!) we figured out a way to modify it and make it work.  So, after some drilling some holes in the stainless steel brackets, scrounging around for some more stainless bolts and nuts, and between Levi in the dinghy and me on the boat, we got it secured and seemed as strong as it was before, if not stronger, so we thought we’d continue on our way to Patmos.  

Everything worked out fine and we made it to Patmos with no other issues.  It'll have to wait until we get to an island of some size to get it properly re-done.