Skeg Line Issues

I have a 2015 PA 14 that I picked up roughly march/april 2015. I am having an issue with my skeg line.

I noticed it was difficult to deploy/redeploy - it required much effort. I took the rudder drum cover off to notice the skeg line was cutting into the plastic. After taking a few pics and sending them to my dealership, they contacted Hobie. Hobie sent me a skeg line relocation kit, which consisted of a grommet with a tube, and instructions. The cap to cover the old hole, was not in the package and had to order it separately. Once the cap came in (to fill the old hole), it would not fit. I had to use hot glue to secure it into place.

After relocating the skeg line, as per the instructions, it still does not work smoothly. Looking at the route the line takes, I think the hole it drops down thru to the skeg needs to have a hard, smooth grommet or guide of some sort. I am concerned the skeg line, thru use, will further cut into the hull.

I do not use my skeg very often because of this issue (the main reason I upgraded to the 2015).

Has anyone else had this issue, or does anyone know of a fix?

Photos at: http://s410.photobucket.com/user/Brian_Klamer/library/

Thanks,
Brian

Are we able to attach pictures in here somehow?

The skeg line problem you have is well known by Hobie and had a fix...Please see viewtopic.php?f=130&t=54598

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Dr.SteelheadCatcher
Warrenton, OR

Negative - that does not take care of the issue. I have already applied that fix, and it doesn't address the actual problem. I mentioned that in the original post that I had already done that.

I was not sure you had seen the 8 minute video...that's why I posted it.

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Dr.SteelheadCatcher
Warrenton, OR

Can anyone direct me to a Hobie rep to discuss this?

Its hard to try and help diagnose something over the phone or e mail - you're best option is to visit a dealer in person with the kayak so that they can go over it - it can only be a couple things - either the lines are routed with too much friction internally somehow - or the pivot bolt for the skeg is too tight. The skeg will also hang up if you don't have the rudder down - when you lock it up that applies pressure on the strings and won't allow the skeg to smoothly function - but why would you have the skeg down and the rudder up - so that's likely not the issue... Just putting ideas out.

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Jacques Bernier
http://www.hobie.com/
http://www.facebook.com/HobieCatCompany

I agree to a certain extent. My dealer is good at selling kayaks - not necessarily diagnosing problems. Whenever I tell him anything, he just passes it along to Hobie. Not to mention my nearest dealer is 2 hour away - quite a ways to show them what I know the problem already is. The problem is the angle from the skeg line "feed" to the skeg itself is a right angle, which applies quite a bit of force, or friction, to the point it crosses the hull. That is where the skeg line is wearing into the hull itself. I have removed the skeg to install the "fix" to my problem, to relocate where the line originates from. I made sure to not install the bolt thru the pully so tight as to impede the skeg's movement.

Thank you for trying though!