Old H16 - Need your help

That's creative, I like it. Beats filling and redrilling the rudders to adjust.

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Marc...
1978 Hobie 16 Keoke, sail# 36 84

Thanks for the analysis of my problem including the informative drawing but...

How will this redrilling- to make the rudder cam system work- affect the hole position needed for proper rudder wx helm?
I'm thinking of drilling the upper rudder hole to give more fore-rake and less wx helm with my high mast rake- does that make the cam situation worse?

Also, did the aftermarket adjuster plate work with the existing upper casting but just require removal of the existing riveted crossbolt and cutting of a slot for the adjusting screw? If it worked I don't see why they still don't make it as this situation is still a problem...

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Raise your sail one foot, and you get ten feet of wind.
起你的一只帆，和你10英尺的。 -- Chinese Proverb
William D. Latinette @ Latrobe, PA, USA w. H14 Turbo X 2... [email protected]

Hey All,

I have had issues with weather hem on my 16 lately and think that a lot of the problem is the the rudder arms. They are really work out and there is a lot of play in the rudder. I recently found a post on Craigslist where someone has a 1993 Hobie 16 that they are willing to part out and they are selling the rudder arms along with the rudders. I believe that my Hobie is a pre-1983 style Hobie. Does anyone know if I buy the complete rubber assembly with the rudder arms from the 93' if it will attach to my pre-83 Hobie without any issues? Thanks all.

It *should* be a straightforward replacement, but your problem is more likely related to not having the rudders locked down. Fixing the lockdown mechanism is a lot less expensive.

YOu guys sure a wealth of information.

Update: I bought new cams and went to put them on. The existing ones though are perfect, looked like they were put in just before I bought this boat.

I did take the existing ones out and clean off the old grease on each cam and then reinstalled with new fresh grease.

In the drawing above, I do not have that type of rudder. There is no adjustment screw on each rudder, just a pin that locks into the cam.

I think I had the wrong idea of how these cams work. I thought you simply raised the rudder bar over the cam and it somehow locked in. In looking at this though, I did not realize that the cam needs to be in the "up" position when starting from the beach.

Then when you get in water deep enough, you (I think) push down on the rudders and then lock them into position?

I also did not realize that you can adjust the spring tension for that plastic piece (Pin) below the cam? (Is there a tension screw for the spring?) It seems that it is very hard to move the cam from the down position to the up position, so I will look at that this weekend and make the tension less so I can flip that cam up and down easier. I suppose there is a delicate balance between tension and the ability for the cams to hold down the rudders.

My lack of understanding is the key to my problem (I think)

From a how-to PDF I have archived:

"Hobie Cat rudder blades are preset to break away (from the locked position) at 17-26 pounds by testing with a line around the rudder blade seven inches above the lowest tip of the blade."

You adjust the tension by the vertical screw under the plunger. I use a fish scale and whatever rope I have lying around. I set mine to 20lbs. and it seems to work fine. I can send you a picture if it will help.

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'81 H16

If it ain't a blowin', I ain't a goin'

Jman:

thanks for the offer. I think the explanation will suffice though. While I have been sailing almost all of my 46 years, the Hobie is new to me and this rudder system is as well.....

I will report back with my findings

Exactly. The cam has to be in the correct position from the start or the system will never work. Whenever the rudders are not locked down (i.e. the "up" position) the cam also needs to be in the "up" position. The hook on the cam will be facing upwards. To lock the rudder down, you lift the tiller arm and then push it backwards with the upper rudder casting sliding along the lower casting. When it reaches the end of its travel, the cam will flip over locking the upper tiller arm down and the rudder forward. I highly recommend you familiarize yourself with how this works with the boat on the trailer rather than trying to figure it out on the water.



You can adjust the pressure on the cam plunger by tightening or loosening the large screw on the underside of the lower rudder casting. The cam will be extremely difficult to flip from the down position to the up position by hand - it is supposed to be this way. If you accidentially flip the cam down without the rudder casting engaged, you will need to find a large flat blade screwdriver and put it between the cam and plunger to flip the cam back up.

For the system to work as intended, it is crucial that the roll pin (or slider on the new system) in the upper casting fully engages in the hook of the cam. If it doesn't, then the pin/slider will slip past the cam without flipping it and the cam will be stuck in the down position.

sm

After looking at how the cam system works, I now know how to use them, thanks to you guys and your thoughtful advice.......

Thanks alot!