Hobie 16 Rudders

Anyone know how to clean up rudders? The stock rudders discolor and can't afford the EPO's. Thanks.

Toilet bowl cleaner

the hull cleaner stuff they sell in the Hobie catalogue

never tried it on all the different "non-fiberglass" rudders but...
a fresh cut lemon wedge (rubbed directly) works on white glass rudders

_________________
Sheet In...Max Out
www.fleet297.org
sailflatlands at gmail dot com

Plastic rudders should lokk like brand new if you'll wet-sand em' with some 600 grit wet/dry sandpaper.... Just did my 86' EPO's and sprayed em with appliance gloss-black and they look awesome!

Anything with oxalic acid as it's main active ingredient:

Barkeeper's Friend
Zud
OxyClean
etc.

Else just wet sand them down. I'm assuming they are the old lexan white rudders.

I just refinished my fiberglass rudders this past weekend. I used mineral spirits to clean them, sanded them down, cleaned them again, then used automotive spray paint to put 3 coats on each side. It worked very well. They were all yellow and nasty, now they are a nice bright white.

_________________
1979 Hobie 16

Wet sand most definitely! the plastic rudders should look like new after a once over with 220, then a finish of 600.

There are exceptions to the wet sand recommendation that I and others have made. i am assuming your rudders have an ordinary finish. My recommendation is invalid if your rudders have some kind of high gloss finish i.e. racing rudders or EPO 2 carbon fiber rudders with gucci looks.

I have the old lexan rudders which had yellowed. They looked terrible so I sanded them down very well using a medium grit sandpaper. I then cleaned them using Acetone. I purchased a rattle can of semi-gloss black paint made for plastic from Lowes and sprayed several coats on the rudders. They turned out great and after a year of use have hardly a scratch at all. I was very pleased with the results.

_________________
'88 Nationals Blue
Hobie Alter Signature Model
Sail #11

Hobie Mirage Classic