Help with Gudgeon Fibreglass

Hi there - the upper gudgeon is grinding into the fibreglass of the transom gunwale. Is there a recommended repair here? Grind it out and try to rebuild the fibreglass? Thanks in advance for any advice!

https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0wGFssfGGPz4Ww


Helpless with Hobie
near Ottawa, ON

Put a stainless steel flat washer between the top of the lower goudgeon and the rudder casting. This will hold the rudder casting up a little bit so that it is being supported by the lower goudgeon rather than by the deck. The washer will need to have a 3/8” ID in order for the rudder pin to pass through it.

If it still contacts the deck after putting in the washer, you can just grind out a little bit off the top of the deck around the rudder pin hole to give more clearance. That area of the deck doesn’t really see much load. Some people just cutout the hull flange entirely around the rudder pin.

sm

As srm says, you can use washers to lift your rudder casting higher on the gudgeons so it does not rub on the top of the fiberglass. I use SS split ring lock washers, which I flatten out (using 2 vice grips) so they look like flat washers.

You can cut a "V" out of the fiberglass lip, so it is no longer in contact with the rudder system.

_________________
Tim
84 H16
82 H16
87 H14T
Tortola Sails: 115222
Blue Prism Sails: 88863
Clearwater, FL

Just to clarify, the picture shown has washers on top of the rudder casting. My suggestion is to place the washers on top of the bottom gudgeon so that the entire rudder assembly is lifted up, providing clearance between the casting and the deck.

Also a note on the picture, I would suggest using a cotter pin on the top of the rudder pin rather than a split ring. A cotter pin is much lower profile and will be less likely to be damaged by the upper rudder casting when raising and lowering the rudders. If the split ring is damaged, it can potentially come out, allowing the rudder pin to fall out.

sm

SRM,

The reason I posted this old picture of my previous 82H16 was to show that it is alright to cut off part of the fiberglass lip at the transom.

Yes, I also had split ring washers on top of the lower gudgeons (to raise the rudder castings).

The split ring washers at the top of the rudder pins helped to protect the plastic sleeve inserts and raised the bottom of the rudder pins high enough so they didn't interfere when I opened/closed the drain plugs below them.

_________________
Tim
84 H16
82 H16
87 H14T
Tortola Sails: 115222
Blue Prism Sails: 88863
Clearwater, FL