Rudder Pin design

Quote: "I took a video of Mickey's rudder doing it but don't think it would be appropriate to post it on Youtube....Pirate"

If it's true and it's relevant, you should post the video.
This information could be a great help to those of us that sail alone.
What are you afraid of?

Ger.

Pirate,

Everyone seems to be anxious to see Mickey's quivering rudder. If he doesnt want to show it to the whole world, perhaps you could upload a video onto imageshack and post the URL here

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On youtube you can make videos "private" and they can only be viewed by "friends" who have your permission.

I just took a father-son canoe-camping trip with a couple dozen friends and their kids. It was weird being the only guy without a kid to watch, but gave me time to video. I plan to edit the video and post as private on youtube, since there are sickos in the world and some of these parents may not want videos of their kids available to the world.

I have only posted public videos so far on youtube, so if anyone has helpful hints they would be appreciated.

That might be a solution for Pirate's video as well. FWIW, you can see my wife's rudder at times in some of my videos, and I've never noticed any vibration.

I am

http://www.youtube.com/GISails

when I'm working, and

http://www.youtube.com/Boatflix

when I'm playing.

I just went back and watched my video that shows the rudder best:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22Wnzv8ACAk

Don't bother. It's too fuzzy to be able to tell much about the rudder.

I went back to the original iMovie file, which has much better resolution. It still doesn't show the rudder all that well, as I was not focused on it, but was trying to show the whole boat. From what I can see, it looks like I remember it: rock steady.

Now I really want to see Pirate's video.

Overwhelming popular demand, Pirate. Show the video! Show the video!

Keith

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2015 AI 2, 2014 Tandem

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein

"Less is more" Anon

Just had a thought while reading about stainless pins...

I'd hate to bust something on my boat using an emergency pin and knowing my luck that's just what would happen.

What about using a knitting needle the right diameter?

I wonder what the shear strength difference between a plastic knitting needle and an AI rudder pin would be? I would imagine they would be a little stronger but not much.

They also come in a wide variety of sizes so matching diameter should be a cinch. You could get several pins out of one knitting needle too.



Dave

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A Hobie Sport and 2 Hobie Adventure Island's - Papaya & Hibiscus - I couldn't make up my mind so like I usually end up doing with lures I bought both and hid the credit card statement

If you were using an emergency pin, I imagine you would not cleat or lock the rudder down. Wouldn't that protect the rest of the boat?

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I, too, was waiting to see the video of Mickey's rudder, however, I got so excited about it today that I had to take a video of my own rudder instead ... http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=nsjv2PjYi ... annel_page

Fortunately mine didn't appear to vibrate

... and then I had lunch ... http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=UHk8pr70H ... annel_page

Sorry Mate but you can't see the rudder blade from that angle.

Mickey and I just got back from Mallacoota. Have we got some fantastic video and pics to share with you. Twenty knots plus made for very fast fun sailing. Then 4 hours paddling up rivers, but this is material for another thread to be placed in YOUR NECK OF THE WOODS.

Anyway we would have put in about three hours or so fast and furious sailing and 4 hours paddling and peddling. That coupled with previous boat useage, I believe the pin would have about 20 hours of work. I decided to take it out and inspect it for wear. Here is what I have just found.

Note the pin is now quite bent as well as damaged both top and bottom where the rudder box and boat meet. The grooves have deepened since the last post a couple of weeks back, AND NOW FOR THE FIRST TIME WE ARE SEEING A NOTICABLE BEND IN THE PIN. I can only think this bend must be caused by a substantial differences in the diameters of the pin, the holes in rudder box, and the brass insert in the boat, or how else can this pin be distorted sufficently to achieve it?
I love this boat but should not have to regularly replace pins, especially on the water, because Hobie is apparently not wanting to make the tolerances closer with machined inserts. See this post for the differences in the diameters of the bits on my boat.
Q. What does Hobie say about this?
Q. How long will it last with this damage?
Q. Do I continue with this pin and keep photographing it to its enevitable destruction point for research sake?...Pirate

well that explains how i was able to break 2 pins under very little stress, the pin is both worn and fatigued

looks like pin inspections and replacement will be necessary, not that we shouldn't check our rigs before heading out. gauging by the wear after 20 hours i will be replacing pins at least once a fortnight at my current rate of usage...

i too would like to know if this can be fixed to extend the life of the pin by reducing wear points and flexing

A probably dumb question from a relative novice - why not bungee the rudder down instead of cleating it - like the daggerboard. Couldn't you then use a stronger pin without risking breaking the boat????

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We saw a photo of a damaged hull, using a stronger pin, and I don't think anyone stated it was due to hitting something. But I could be wrong. There must be far more stress out that end than one imagines.

Geoff.

or...replace the pin with a bungy to allow give at the pressure point so as the rudder lifts and the pressure is reduced..

next time i get out i will try a couple of ways to see if this is at all practical..

I just meant you could use a bungee to hold the down line taut. Using a bungee instead of the pin is certainly lateral thinking ...... wouldn't it be a little floppy?

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There already is a bungee. That's why the down line retracts back into the hull. I almost never cleat my rudder down. I have had it pop up a couple of times, but not often, even when sailing pretty hard.