hobie rudder hard to pop up.HELP

I have an '84 hobie 18. Its got the original style cast rudder assemblies. One side pops up and locks into its downward position very easily and stays down while under sail. The other one is very hard to get out of the downward position. ive been having to wedge a flathead screwdriver above the spring loaded little cam to pop it loose but recently I broke the tiller arm trying to get it up. ive tried looseing that plastic set screw that adjusts the spring tension, its at its furthest or "weakest" setting.

Is there something that i can do to ensure this assembly works a little smoother. Ive got the piece welded once already but it failed in the same spot and its hard to find the correct ID/OD anodized pipe with trading a kidney. $$$$

Mahalo

This is a common problem with the old style rudder system.

Apply a little bit of waterproof bearing grease to the surface of the roller on the upper casting. You can also put some on the mating surface of the hook/cam in the lower casting. Try to use the minimal amount of grease necessary so you don’t make a mess. You can apply it with a small flat screwdriver. Test the kickup with the boat on the trailer.

When I had an older 18, I would grease the castings per above and run with the lowest spring load possible (sounds like what you’re doing) and I used bungee cords wrapped around the rudder/rudder pin to help hold the blade down. The rudders would pop up on contact and I rarely had any issues.

sm

You can get an upgraded Rudder system.
https://www.murrays.com/product/50-60331010/

If you don't want to pay through the nose, I got this one last year:
https://www.tackleshack.com/hobie-rudde ... black.html

_________________
Sam

'84 Hobie 14 Turbo
'84 Hobie 18 Magnum

Common issue was a small indent in the lower casting (forward opposite the cam) where the roller pin rests when locked down. That can prevent the roller from moving up easily if the rudder hits the shore. Lifting the tiller arm is good advice to prevent the casting from cracking on impact. You can file the indent to allow the roller pin to move more freely when kicking up.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)