Return to Hobie.com
Hobie Forums
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 3:25 pm

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 4 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: hobbie 18 EPO Rudder
PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2017 6:11 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2017 6:05 pm
Posts: 14
Hi all, I have a 1981 Hobie 18. My wife bought me used epo rudders for xmass and I am ready to install, but they seem too thick and wont fit into the castings. does anyone know if the newer style castings are wider than the old ones. I'm thinking that I just need to sand the ruddrs down just a little and then re-polish.

Any thoughts?

Jere


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: hobbie 18 EPO Rudder
PostPosted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 9:14 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Mon May 09, 2005 10:25 am
Posts: 4176
Location: Jersey Shore
The old castings should be more or less the same as the new ones. The tight fit is most likely the result of manufacturing tolerances with both the rudders and the castings. The original EPOs (I'm assuming that's what you have) can certainly run in the old castings, I know because I used them for many, many years.

If the rudder is only a little bit too thick, then you could sand the surface, but I would be very careful about not being too aggressive. If you remove too much material, you will weaken the rudder and it could break. The EPO rudders are a fiberglass/foam core construction, so the load bearing material is just a relatively thin layer of fiberglass on the outside of the rudder. If you do decide to sand the rudder, I would be sure to clamp the blade down to a work bench and use a sanding block so that you maintain a flat surface at the head of the rudder.

If more material needs to be removed, I would sand/grind away the inside of the rudder casting slightly. I believe if you look at the rudder castings, around the bolt holes the casting material is raised slightly. This is the area that you would want to grind down. The best way would be to put the casting in a vice and use a flat file to remove the material, checking the rudder fit frequently.

sm


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: hobbie 18 EPO Rudder
PostPosted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 2:25 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Admiral

Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2007 10:20 pm
Posts: 295
Location: South Boardman, Mi
I seem to remember having the same issue when I tried putting EPO's on my '82 boat. I filed back the bosses on the casting until the rudders fit. I may have done some additional filing to get the rudders to kick up all the way, and have the correct rake.

I think it is easier and safer to file the castings than the rudders. There isn't much thickness you can take off the rudders before you get to glass. From there you are quickly degrading the strength of the rudder at the most critical area.

Oh, I may have bent my castings apart a tiny bit too... saved me a lot of filing/sanding.

Joe


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: hobbie 18 EPO Rudder
PostPosted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 3:13 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Wed May 25, 2011 3:15 pm
Posts: 610
Location: Buffalo, NY
speed633 wrote:
Oh, I may have bent my castings apart a tiny bit too... saved me a lot of filing/sanding.

Whoa, I wouldn't try that! The rudder castings are cast aluminum, and casting is more likely to break than bend! I bought a used pair of the original EPO's, which needed to be completely reconditioned (they were badly sun damaged, glass exposed, and then lazily painted over with a spray can). I couldn't tell until after I started coating them in epoxy... then all of the sudden I could see the imprint of the original decal :lol:

I too had to file down my castings. I spent days filing, and ended up taking a bit of material off the rudders with a sander too. I may have built the heads up too much. I can't remember exactly, but I think I rolled on 3 or 4 coats of epoxy, followed by a lot of sanding between coats to get them smooth. Not a process I much want to repeat! The EPO's are still a pretty tight fit, but it gives me smooth response out of my rudders once I upgraded the rest of the rudder system to remove all the slop. Just don't force them, those lower castings have a known weak spot on the side and are prone to breaking, and they aren't in production any more!

_________________
Mike
Image
'79 H18 standard 'Rocketman II' sail #14921 RIP
'78 H18 (unnamed) sail #14921
'08 H16 sail #114312
'97 H21SC sail #238


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 4 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Jump to:  
© Hobie Cat Company. All rights reserved.
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group