Rudder Cam Servicing

Hey everybody, I just bought my first hobie two weeks ago (18sx) and I'm looking for a little advice on how to service the rudders. Specifically which type of lube you recommend for the rudder cam as it sits in the casting. White lithium grease is out (petroleum based) and silicone seems to be the way to go, but I've also heard people using marine grease designed for dunking ball bearings in at boat ramps as it's longer lasting and more capable of preventing corrosion. Any suggestions?

I use a small dab of wheel bearing grease once or twice a season. You don’t want to get it all over the place, only on the contact surfaces between the cam and plunger. Put a little grease on the detent in the cam where it engages the plunger in the locked down position. Then cycle the cam a few times between the locked and unlocked positions. I find thats all it takes. If you get grease on the hook part of the cam where the upper casting engages, it can allow the rudder to release without the cam rotating which causes problems.

You can also shoot some silicone spray on the sides if the cam where the axle passes through to help ensure smooth rotation, but that doesn’t last too long. You will probably want to spray the cam everytime you sail.

sm