Mickey and I just got back from a most enjoyable kyak today before it got too hot. Took some photos with my new camera and had a great morning. They are a great little versatile vessel but that is another story. Anyway I decided when I got home to check out my rudder pin for wear so while it was convient I pulled it out and checked it for wear. This is a near new boat and pin which would have been used no more than six or eight times. I was surprised how much it had already suffered and thought you might like to see it so I took advantage of my new camera once again.
Appears a lot going on near the end so I zoomed in on that part. The rudder box seems to be cutting away or compressing already forming a deep ridge line.
Also while we were peddling on the water I observed and took a video of Mickey's rudder which was wobbling laterally in the water to the extent that it was visually obvious when close up. Mickey checked mine which was the same. I have already said I believe some of these pin failure may be due to the regular pounding the pin gets from this constant vibration caused by the variance in hole sizes between the rudder box and the brass transom insert compared with the nylon rudder pin.When I got home I measured all three on my boat:
Rudder pin = 7.6 mm
Transom brass insert = 8 mm
Rudder box ( no inserts there) = 8.4 mm
I believe these light pins are doomed to failure under these conditions regardless of the weather we are going out in. That would be one reason why some pins fail under normal operating conditions. Remember my pin is not two months old.
Q. Why cant the tolerances be closer between the fittings? I have had a close look at the lifting mechanism and can see no reason for the need for slack to allow it to operate correctly. That seems a furfy to me.
Q. Why is not the rudder box holes that take the pin not protected from wear with brass or stainless inserts like the hull?......Pirate