Broken rudder pin

I have bent Aluminum and hollow stainless pins...

With heavy use I have seen Aluminum pins last only one season, and the fiberglass pins are for 14s or 16s only, or 18s in light air. DO NOT USE the fiberglass pins in big air and expect them to last.

Hobie 20s don't give you an option... they are SS only. The boat has higher loads. I have also seen aluminum pins break castings... so if you're worried about the surf... be careful, aluminum OR SS is not going to save you in all circumstances.

Good luck!

Well, the SX18 is now packed away for the winter.
Sextant Marine delivered SS rudder pins, and there have been no problems since then.

_________________
2015 H16, with spin,
SOLD 1989 Hobie SX18 Sail # 1947 "In Theory..."
'Only two things are infinite, the universe, and human stupidity. But I'm not sure about the former.'

The problem with these higher strength aluminum alloys like 7075 and 2024 (and some of them approach or even exceed the strength of some stainless steels), is that they are less corrosion resistant and more susceptible to stress corrosion cracking when compared to 6061. This is a particular concern in a high-load, marine environment application.

I don't really understand why folks feel the need to reinvent the wheel on this one. We're talking rudder pins on a Hobie Cat, this ain't rocket surgery. A small length of 304 or 316 stainless rod 3/8" diameter is all you need to make a set of rudder pins that wil literally last the life of the boat.

sm