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PostPosted: Tue Sep 04, 2012 12:36 pm 
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Joined: Sun Jul 27, 2008 7:58 pm
Posts: 98
Location: Broward County, FL
Hi everyone-

My starboard rudder will not lock down. The little black plastic/rubber part looks like it is jammed in the wrong position, when I compare it to the port side. Someone said just take a flathead screwdriver and a hammer and bang on it. But I'm not sure what to bang on, which way to try to move it, etc. etc.

Is anyone able to share pictures, diagrams, step-by-step instructions, etc.?

Thank you!

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1984 Hobie 16, Olympic Edition (kept in NY)
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 04, 2012 12:57 pm 
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Joined: Wed Aug 18, 2010 8:15 am
Posts: 495
Location: Saint John, NB Canada sailing on Washademoak Lake
Not sure what you would use the happer for. You need to wedge the screwdriver between the cam lock and the plunger and pry the lock back in the up position.

While sailing, I hook the mainsheet in the cam lock and give it a tug to raise it back in the up position.

Here's what it looks like in the locked position;
Image

If the cam is in the same positon with the rudders up, then you need to flip it up.

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1978 Hobie 16 Keoke, sail# 36 84
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 04, 2012 1:00 pm 
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Under the black plastic cam is a spring loaded plastic piston. Mine are kinda milky white, but yours could be a different color. What works for me it is sliding a narrow screw driver past the cam to push down on the piston. Once the piston is pressed down you can rotate the cam back by hand.


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PostPosted: Tue Sep 04, 2012 1:13 pm 
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Joined: Tue Aug 24, 2010 12:31 am
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Location: Netherlands Europe
In 2:20 sec they flip it back

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvISoICvkjw[/youtube]

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PostPosted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 10:50 am 
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Joined: Sat Aug 05, 2006 5:44 pm
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Location: Oshkosh, WI
LOL, I've replaced my cams and greased them.. and they definitely do not flip up that easily.. heh, the guy just flicked it up.

Mine have actually been better as of late... so I won't complain.

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PostPosted: Sun Sep 30, 2012 6:57 pm 
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Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2012 6:51 pm
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I am having the same problem. Half of the time the cams stay locked down when I pull the rudder arm up to unlock them. They just stay down.

How much pressure should the spring be under? I've tried it with light pressure, medium pressure, and a lot of pressure.

I just replaced all the parts in my rudder. New cam, new spring, new plunger and put in washers to tighten up the wiggle between the rudder blade and the rudder castings.

Is there anything else i should check? I don't know if my rudder has a cam plate and adjuster screw ... seems like the cam just locks on a pin in the upper casting and that pin is in a permanent place.


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PostPosted: Sun Sep 30, 2012 7:54 pm 
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Read this some where ...

Quote:
one thing I forgot to mention, if you grab the rudders and break them free, the cams will pivot up into the ready position, if you grab the tiller arm and break them free, the cams will not pivot and will stay in the lock down position, then you have to use the screw driver lever method of pivoting the cam which ultimately damages the cam. The reason for this is that the lock down lip on the cam is thin enough to flex allowing the tiller arm to break free before the cam rotates, you just learn not to use the tiller arms to try raise your rudders. You have to keep this in mind and carry a small tool to help lever the cams when sailing, sometimes one forgets and uses the tiller arm to raise the rudders.....leaving you with the cams in the lock-down position and no way to lever them up......



Is the proper way to lift up on the rudder itself and not raise it with the arm?


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 01, 2012 11:06 am 
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Location: Clinton, Mississippi
italiansoda: There are a lot of variables figuring into this issue. It sounds like you do not have adjustable rake, so that's a variable you can't control. There's a spec in the FAQs to measure kick-up tension on the rudder with a fish scale. My advice is to set the tension as light as possible without having the rudder kick up just from the force of the water when you are hauling ass on a screaming reach.

On a newer system that is operating perfectly, either pulling back on the rudder blade or up on the crossbar will unlock the rudders. My '98 works fine either way, but you seldom see an older system that does. You mentioned all the parts you've replaced, but not lubrication. A little marine (white lithium) grease where the cam slides on the plunger will help a lot. I resisted this for a long time....worried that the grease would attract sand/dirt and make things worse, but it really doesn't. If needed, just lube with dishwashing soap every once in a while to remove dirt/sand/old grease, then relube with fresh grease when the soap is washed away.

When you're trying to unlock the rudders by lifting the crossbar, be sure to also apply forward tension on the bar to help keep the pin engaged in the notch of the cam. The failure to unlock occurs when the pin slips out of the notch. Finally, FWIW, in my experience, things act differently when you're working the rudders dry on the trailer vs. wet and under loads in the water. Be aware that you may have to go thrugh a few iterations to get it the best it can be.

Hope this helps some.

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