Gudgeons pulled out CRAP!

When I bought my 84 hobie 18 both port and stbd hulls had the lower gudgeons pulled out and the owner had just moved the gudgeons up about 3/4 inch. I have to use SS rudder pins because any other material will break within a week, and within a weekend if I take it out in the waves.

So I lived with this problem for a while but I am trying to get the rudder slop out . Because of the extra 3/4 inch between gudgeon and rudder casting the nyliner can slip out and cause some real slop. it also makes it harder to install the rudders/casting after trailering because they only sit on one gudgeon instead of two.

I searched the forums and was not sure if the 18 has an aluminum plate like the 14 and 16. If it does should I follow the following quote.



I don't have the cash for the once piece gudgeons, I want them bad though. Also the previous owner may have made the repair above then ripped it out again and then gave up on tapping and just moved the holes.
Thanks for the advice.

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ALLEY CAT 1984 RED LINE HOBIE 18 MAGNUM
Sail # 10505 or 277

Yes there is an aluminum plate in the transom with tapped holes that the gudgeon screws thread into.

You can either re-tap the holes to the next size larger thread (1/4") or you can cut a hole in the deck and install a port hole so you have access to the inside of the transom. Then you can thru-bolt the gudgeon screws.

In either case, I would move the gudgeon back to the proper location.

sm

Possibly you have some mismatched parts that are compounding your problem?
Do you have the old or new style rudder casting?

If you have the new rudder casting it would explain why the lower gudeons were moved.

Check out his post
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=17926&hilit=rudder

Can you post a photo? It would help the forum to advise on your problem.

Cork guy H18

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Corkguy H18, Tiger, Wildcat

No worries. Re-tap to 1/4 20. Anti seize the new screws.

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Here is a video its all i got for meow. You can see the gap better on the port side, and you can see the nyliner raising up a little. I will try to get a pic soon.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjr0QSoIIi0[/youtube]

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ALLEY CAT 1984 RED LINE HOBIE 18 MAGNUM
Sail # 10505 or 277

Those gudgeons are actually most likely in the correct location. You boat was originally supplied with the old-style rudder system. The previous owner upgraded it to the new system. The lower gudgeon location is not the same for both systems, and so the owner moved the bottom gudgeon up as was required. If you move the bottom gudgeon back down, the rudder casting won't fit.

The first thing I would do would be to make sure you have a washer between the upper gudgeon and the rudder casting. Those gudgeons have a nasty habit of wearing into the aluminum rudder casting. Putting a washer between the gudgeon and the casting could raise the rudder up as much as 1/8". The next thing you can do is insert the upper bushing from the underside of the rudder casting so that the flange is on the bottom. This will raise the casting up about another 1/16". And the last thing you can do is epoxy all the bushings into the casting. This will keep them all held in place.

sm

OK I added some SS washers, Here is a pic.

I think the gap between the lower gudeon and the lower casting is still too big. I would think it should be lined up so at most 1/8 inch if the biggest gap between the lower gudeon and lower casting.

Any larger gap would make the shear stress into a bending moment. My gap it about 3/8 inch, Ya think that's good enough?
Now I need to repair the old holes.

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ALLEY CAT 1984 RED LINE HOBIE 18 MAGNUM
Sail # 10505 or 277

Your upper bushing is in upside down.

The flanges on both bushings should bear against the gudgeons, but using the washers between the bushings and the gudgeons will make them last longer.

Thank you so much I missed that. Ill fix that asap, Damn that second joint.

Also that will fill the last bit of gap on the lower gudeon. No more Gap Yeah!

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ALLEY CAT 1984 RED LINE HOBIE 18 MAGNUM
Sail # 10505 or 277