Breaking rudder pins!!

Hey there,
Just for starters, I use fiberglass rudder pins so I don't break the back of my boat off if I somehow hit something!!

Anyway, I was sailing earlier this season with some 3-4 season old rudder pins and I sheared one off leaving my rudder dragging in the water. ( I think it was the windward and port). I thought little of it as they get old, worn and I figure, eventually break! So, I soon after replaced the set with some new black fiberglass ones from hobie and although it didn't just slide in real nice and easy, it did work. I don't believe I hit anything when the pin broke the first time!!

Sailing again tonight after a few sails on the new pins, the wind was 12-14 and my buddy and I were cruizing right in when all of a sudden a pin broke again!! (same side, same situation). I again do not think I hit anything!

I was pretty amazed however and when I tried to check the alignment, I noticed with a stainless pin, it just would not go through the lower set of gudgeons after the top even with the rudder removed. I remember doing this earlier this year with little or no issue. However, the pin did go through when I loosened all four screws of the bottom gudgeon, so I am not quite sure. When aligning the holes in the boat and the gudgeon, I noticed they were not dead on, but were off by about an 1/8 to a 1/16 of an inch. I also noticed the head of the upper left screw was bent a bit. The piece looks good but could be slightly tweaked as well.

I could fix the whole issue by drilling the holes in the gudgeon a little larger and just tightening it back up but I wonder are the new pieces any different (can one adjust the position of them on the boat)? Is it likely my boat was improperly drilled as it seems? Is there a good fix for this??
It is very odd that after sailing this boat on Lake Michigan a bunch for a few years, I begin having problems with this set up now.....

Any help is appreciated.
Feel free to email me.
[email protected]

Thanks!!
Orion

Hmmm, since the composite type pin seems to fail in situations where there is not even contact between blade and a solid object - it seems those might not be the best solution.
If the cam is properly adjusted it should release the blade at contact with the ground. So far I have not lost any major piece of hull due to the fact that cam popped too late.
Here is a theory on the gudgeon... Do you think it is possible that while the composite pin failed it bend one of the gudgeons? It is reasonable to assume that the pin broke at one of the gudgeons first - until it sheared off at the second gudgeon it might have exercised forces that caused the gudgeon to bend. Just a weird conspiracy theory of mine...
Here is a cheap fix... replace the one gudgeon that seems like it might not be well aligned.
Here is a good fix.... There is a one piece gudgeon plate - all the newer H 16 have 'em as standard equipment - the bad news is that some of the screw holes in the gudgeon plate will not match those in your hull - IIRC

Patrick

Hey there, thanks so much for the info, I also wonder if the gudgeon got bent... but how is that possible with a fiberglass pin?? How strange, I will attempt to replace it with another similar piece if they are available otherwise I will need to go to the one piece'rs... But I don't really want to be making new holes!! I will keep you updated and thanks!!


Orion

Bent gudgeon?

That could happen if the pin fails at one point and all the rudder load goes to the single gudgeon.

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

go to the stainless steel rudder pins and just adjust the rudders to kick up as they are suppose to. You will be much happier. As for drilling out the screws and going to a bigger size that might work and it would be cheaper than going to the one piece gudeons.

Matt from Hobie can describe the metal plate on the inside of the transom that bthe screws attach to.

good luck and have fun sailing

_________________
Tom & Nancy Page H20 803