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Quote (Hobie): "We have received reports of the Eclipse rudder-drum thumb screw being tensioned or causing friction in the steering system. This thumb screw is designed to hold the rudder straight when using the board as a stand up paddle board. When using the Eclipse this screw should be loosened or removed. The screw will be found on the top of the rudder drum between where the steering lines attach.
...We recommend removal of the thumb screw from the rudder drum. Simply back the thumb screw out and store for possible future use if the customer desires to use the board as a SUP. We have removed the screw during recent production."
We have two brand new Eclipse 12.0 pedal boards. We love our boards and we like pedal boarding BUT we wish to use our Eclipse pedal boards as stand up paddle (SUP) boards as well. The Mirage drive well plug is easy. Not so the rudder-drum thumb screw, which is VERY easily inserted by Stephanie on your Hobie "how-to" YouTube video which I have reviewed carefully several times. Stephanie inserts and tightens down the rudder-drum thumb screw with ease, fingers only, no effort required. Our rudder-drum thumb screws STICK and BIND after only a couple turns. And, yes, I looked critically at the threads, both on the screw and in the drum. I cleaned the threads and the screws still bind before ever getting deep enough to lock the rudder in mid-line position. I even tried a dab of "Lube Tube" which is safe silicone. The thumb screws still bind and cannot be readily advanced. Don't know if the thumb screw is plastic or aluminum. It is very light; certainly not stainless steel.
So, with no cross threading, NO dirt or grit and the same problem on two identical brand new Eclipse 12.0 boards, it seems likely to me that either the screw hole in the rudder-drum and/or the rudder-drum threads/bolt are manufactured out of specification. I tested my theory by purchasing brand new stainless steel 1/4" x 20 thumb screws which screw into the rudder-drum with ease. I think it likely that your current rudder drum screws are out of tolerance: could be diameter, could be thread pitch errors. No matter what the reason: they don't work because they bind severely in the rudder-drum. I saw a similar post regarding a new Dura pedal board by an owner who wanted to use the board as an SUP and could not turn the rudder-drum screw in far enough to lock the rudder in neutral position.
Would be interested to see what Hobie thinks about this. Please do not tell us it "might be cross-threading". It is not that! It is not sand or dirt. We cleaned the screw hole threads with Q-tips even though we saw only clean threads within. There was no dirt on the threads.
Please consider, when you reply, that ANY ONE and all of the 25 stainless steel 1/4" x 20 thumb screws I ordered fit PERFECTLY and easily in the rudder-drum screw hole.
We are full-time RVrs and prefer not to lug around two more SUP boards to allow us to do stand up paddle boarding. The "Hobie Promise" is the duality of the Eclipse: it is designed to be both pedal board and stand up paddle board.
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