Hobie 17 spor rudder springs

Howdy,
I'm restoring a 2000 17 sport.
When dropping the dagger boards down to replace line, the spring fell out.
How in the chicken soup do you get back in place?
No hatch on top, no bolts that I can see.
Both sides the same.
HELP!

From the underside. Untie the handle, tie and extension line to the raising line. Let the line out and rotate the board out of the hull. Place the spring and pull the board back into the hull. Retie the handle.

17 Manual shows this: https://media.hobie.com/digital_assets/H17Manual.pdf#page=25

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

Easiest if you can flip the boat over so the bottom of the hull is facing up, but this is not always feasible.

If doing this with the boat right side up, you will need to lay on your back under the hull (boat on trailer of course). It is easier with a second person, but can be done solo. As Matt said, use a long line so the board can drop all the way down and the line still exits thru the top of the hull. If doing this solo, the line will need to exit the top of the hull and be long enough to come back down so you can reach it from the ground. The tricky part is that the spring will want to drop out or kick out aft as you raise the board. You have to hold the spring in position as you slowly raise the board up. Once the top of the board is past the bottom of the hull, you should be good and the spring will stay put. Then put your knot back in the adjustment line to set the “down” position.

sm

Wow, Figured it out.
Hold the spring in place and slowly lift dagger board up.
Watch the fingers. and it worked easily.
Thanks

Thanks for the information- i'm assuming that the centerboard spring is the same for the hobie 17 and 17 sport? Additionally, what diameter line do you use to attach to the centerboards?

Thank you!

David

Correct, same spring regardless of SE or Sport.

Stock line is 3/16” prestretch.

sm