A couple rudder questions

OK, a couple of easy ones...

1. I read that you should remove your rudders for trailering. I will be moving my boat around pretty often and hate the idea of removing and putting on my rudders every time (but not as much as buying new equipment!). Not to mention removing the rudders will leave my rudder arms unattached, and will have to remove them as well. Am I missing something here, or is this the approach the rest of you take?

2. In relation to the above question, I would like to install spacers on either side of the rudder, but the second one slips unless I remove the casting and do it horizonaly. Can you think of any reason I shouldn't silicone this spacers to my rudders? If I have to remove and install these things every time I sail, it would be helpful to not have to fumble with this every time.

Get the 20 style tiller connectors if you don't have them already (they've come new on the boats for over 10 years now).

That way, the tiller crossbar comes off in about 10 seconds.

Pull the rudder pins (use a split ring instead of a cotter pin in the bottom).

Rudders are now free to be stored.

Two words on positioning the spacers - Scotch Tape.

Make sure that you DO put a ring or pin on the bottom. Some people insist they won't come out - but there are several sets of rudders at the bottom of the Columbia River that says they will.




Four words: Double-Sided Scotch Tape.

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Tim
Unofficial Fleet 72 Communications Officer and Div 4 Webmaster
http://www.hobiefleet72.org
http://www.div4.hobieclass.com/

I trailer my boat for two 6 hour trips a year and leave the rudders on the boat.....never had a problem in over 10 years. I bunjee cord them down on the sides to the pylon. One of each side that is tight keeps them there. Not that it's that much work to take them off....just don't want to....enjoy! Happy sailing

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'83 H16 Tequilla Sunrise and Cat Fever

Removing the rudders for travel is not a requirement. Generally only racers do this to help protect the rudders. My past boats I never removed the rudders for travel and didn't have a problem. My current boat, I do take them off because with the new tiller connectors, it is a pretty quick operation. However, if you do leave them on, you must make sure you tie them down securely

On shimming the rudders in the castings, what I usually do is cut out some shims from either a milk jug or soda bottle. Place the rudder and shims in the casting, and then tap the bolt through with a hammer to punch through the shim. Much easier than trying to get all the holes aligned.

sm

I'd like to, but I'm afraid I have met my spending max on the hobie for a couple months.

Also...the scotch tape idea was so brilliant yet so simple, I had a head slapping moment for a second there!



Thats for the quick (and smart) suggestions/responses. I'm not sure what I'll do yet, I really don't want to take off the rudders if I can avoid it, but I'm broke and need to protect the boat until the wife stops checking the account everyday!

Removing your rudders isn't so much for the rudders themselves but more for the constant movement that is going to wear all of the parts while trailering.

You do not have to remove the bolts every time you remove the rudders, Just pull the pins.

Yes the h20 connectors would make it a easier but not nessessary.

I take mine off for a few reasons. Loading and unloading the boat is not so hard on them, and while stepping the mast you have less things for the shrouds to hang on. Leave them off until unloaded and take them off before loading.

Sam

I learned the hard way that not removing the rudders can cause cracking around the deck lip where the rudder pin goes through. I ended up having to cut that area of the deck out to prevent further cracking. Not neccessarily bad structurally but certainly cosmetically.

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James
86' Redline Hobie 16
Sail # 76909

What he said. Why have the rudders putting stress on the boat, tiller and themselves when they're not in the water? The rudders are the last to be put on my boat before launching, but then I'm launching from a beach and I'm anal about having them get in my way while rigging if they don't have to be there. If you have a safe place to store the rudders and tillers off the boat while transporting then spend the extra 5 minutes taking them off.