Having just launched the boat for the season, hundreds of problems and projects re-awaken from the long winter slumber. This is one! Darn, big rudder will not stay down. Or will not come up very easy. I remember seeing a post about a rudder downhaul mod but can not find it in the forums. Any ideas or help will be appreciated.
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Idasailor
Contact Idasailor.com to buy sheer pin to put thru 2 sides of rudder housing and rudder. It may involve drilling thru both sides of housing to coincide with rudder hole. This works great and will sheer when you hit something with rudder. 2 for $5.95. I just broke a pin today, a rare occurence. Good luck. A bic pen will also suffice but not as good.
Contact Idasailor.com to buy sheer pin to put thru 2 sides of rudder housing and rudder. It may involve drilling thru both sides of housing to coincide with rudder hole. This works great and will sheer when you hit something with rudder. 2 for $5.95. I just broke a pin today, a rare occurence. Good luck. A bic pen will also suffice but not as good.
Auto Release Cleat
One of the methods discussed in earlier threads was the use of an auto release cleat. Several H260 owners swear by them. Have any H26 owners used these devices? I've seen photos of an H260 quick release cleat setup, but the H26 rudder design is different. Could an H26 owner who made the mod offer a description and possibly a photo? The breakable pin method looks good, but I want a method that I can quickly rig for variable depths in shallow water at a moments notice. (George, Crazy Dave, others... I know you're out there) Thanks, BrianW
One of the methods discussed in earlier threads was the use of an auto release cleat. Several H260 owners swear by them. Have any H26 owners used these devices? I've seen photos of an H260 quick release cleat setup, but the H26 rudder design is different. Could an H26 owner who made the mod offer a description and possibly a photo? The breakable pin method looks good, but I want a method that I can quickly rig for variable depths in shallow water at a moments notice. (George, Crazy Dave, others... I know you're out there) Thanks, BrianW
h26 rudder pin
There has been quite a bit of discussion in the archives about this. I think most people with the 26 are using some kind of pin. This is what I use. After you have drilled the hole through the rudder and assembly go to the local hardware store and get a foot or so of clear plastic hose to fit the hole. I cut mine into about 4 inch pieces. Then go to the grocery store and get a package of skewers (big wooden tooth picks). Get a hot glue gun and fill about 1 inch of glue in one end of the plastic hose, cut the skewers to fit and put in hose,leave them about i inch short, then fill the other end of the hose with hot glue. I then drill about a 1/8th hole into hose through the glue at each end to put cotter pins in to keep the hose from sliding out of place. For about $3.00 you can make lots of them, and they work. I hit a rock last year and it sheared off clean.
There has been quite a bit of discussion in the archives about this. I think most people with the 26 are using some kind of pin. This is what I use. After you have drilled the hole through the rudder and assembly go to the local hardware store and get a foot or so of clear plastic hose to fit the hole. I cut mine into about 4 inch pieces. Then go to the grocery store and get a package of skewers (big wooden tooth picks). Get a hot glue gun and fill about 1 inch of glue in one end of the plastic hose, cut the skewers to fit and put in hose,leave them about i inch short, then fill the other end of the hose with hot glue. I then drill about a 1/8th hole into hose through the glue at each end to put cotter pins in to keep the hose from sliding out of place. For about $3.00 you can make lots of them, and they work. I hit a rock last year and it sheared off clean.
Pins won't work.
Yes a pin would be fine, once you get the rudder into the down position, but getting the rudder into the complete down position, and keeping it there until you can install the pin is the problem. I am looking for a downhaul and uphaul solution.
Yes a pin would be fine, once you get the rudder into the down position, but getting the rudder into the complete down position, and keeping it there until you can install the pin is the problem. I am looking for a downhaul and uphaul solution.
First project
The downhaul set-up on my newly purchased 2004 260 was silly at best. It was a light tackle inside the tube with 3/8" line to a solid cleat. Had I hit anything with the rudder something expensive certainly would have broken. I used the slightly larger Harken Carbo blocks to make up the same tackle. In stead of double braid I used 3/8" "Bungee" cordage. I also mounted two side mount clam cleats at the rudder post head. To use it I free the up-haul, then haul in on the bungee and cleat it when there's good tension on it. Then if I need to I kick the rudder down with my foot. Even with the tensioning wing nut loose the rudder stays down. I will replace the red rubber clamping material with slipery flat plastic as soon as I have a moment. I've had the boat out for two 30 minute outings, each at well over 20 knots. The rudder did fine and the boat itself did way better than I ever guessed it would.
The downhaul set-up on my newly purchased 2004 260 was silly at best. It was a light tackle inside the tube with 3/8" line to a solid cleat. Had I hit anything with the rudder something expensive certainly would have broken. I used the slightly larger Harken Carbo blocks to make up the same tackle. In stead of double braid I used 3/8" "Bungee" cordage. I also mounted two side mount clam cleats at the rudder post head. To use it I free the up-haul, then haul in on the bungee and cleat it when there's good tension on it. Then if I need to I kick the rudder down with my foot. Even with the tensioning wing nut loose the rudder stays down. I will replace the red rubber clamping material with slipery flat plastic as soon as I have a moment. I've had the boat out for two 30 minute outings, each at well over 20 knots. The rudder did fine and the boat itself did way better than I ever guessed it would.
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