Hello All I've just bought a 2001 Hunter 260 and I would Like to install the 3/8" Delrin shear pin in my rudder and would like to know the location to drill the hole in the rudder ?
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Ahhhhh yea
As you might have surmised we don't do that much. Not trying to say it is not a good idea but we don't have many folks that are that proactive about saving their rudder. Perhaps if you tell me where you heard that this was a critical improvement I could research it and get back. I did not see anything obvious on googling "hunter 260 shear pin" except that keeping the rudder from self destructing during an encounter with a "solid" object is a good idea. A personal observation (and I welcome others to comment), I have in the course of 8 years of sailing never hit anything except crab pot lines. I've run aground countless times but the rudder is in the back and I have never run aground while going backward. In the Army we call that poll vaulting over mouse turds. Unless you are concerned about something in your environs that could cause your rudder assembly to break I'd go with the concept that the keel will most likely get hit first (and survive and deflect the problem) and that will most likely be a grounding which you will be able to anticipate because you are practicing good navigation. Broken rudders are whale attacks or a boat not under control drifting backward onto a shoal.... not your normal stuff. I would not worry a lot about it.
As you might have surmised we don't do that much. Not trying to say it is not a good idea but we don't have many folks that are that proactive about saving their rudder. Perhaps if you tell me where you heard that this was a critical improvement I could research it and get back. I did not see anything obvious on googling "hunter 260 shear pin" except that keeping the rudder from self destructing during an encounter with a "solid" object is a good idea. A personal observation (and I welcome others to comment), I have in the course of 8 years of sailing never hit anything except crab pot lines. I've run aground countless times but the rudder is in the back and I have never run aground while going backward. In the Army we call that poll vaulting over mouse turds. Unless you are concerned about something in your environs that could cause your rudder assembly to break I'd go with the concept that the keel will most likely get hit first (and survive and deflect the problem) and that will most likely be a grounding which you will be able to anticipate because you are practicing good navigation. Broken rudders are whale attacks or a boat not under control drifting backward onto a shoal.... not your normal stuff. I would not worry a lot about it.
260 rudder shear pin location
Lindsay, your other post on the missing bolt shows the location of the shear pin hole in your included image as well. If that is your boat, then you already have the hole in the stainless rudder mount. I'm not sure about your rudder though. If it wasn't made for a shear pin hole, I'd be wondering about exposing core by drilling a hole. This is where George Kobernus or Crazy Dave can provide better detail. Personally, we've tripped our shear pin on several occassions over the past four years of sailing. I'm glad we have it, because the plastic rudder post holders don't appear is if they could take a lot of strain. Since the centerboard is hinged, it tends to fold up when we have gotten shallow, which exposes the rudder to the shallow area as well. The main thing I've found is not to panic-steer a hard turn to avoid potentially putting a lateral strain on the centerboard and forcing it out of alignment with its keel trunk.
Lindsay, your other post on the missing bolt shows the location of the shear pin hole in your included image as well. If that is your boat, then you already have the hole in the stainless rudder mount. I'm not sure about your rudder though. If it wasn't made for a shear pin hole, I'd be wondering about exposing core by drilling a hole. This is where George Kobernus or Crazy Dave can provide better detail. Personally, we've tripped our shear pin on several occassions over the past four years of sailing. I'm glad we have it, because the plastic rudder post holders don't appear is if they could take a lot of strain. Since the centerboard is hinged, it tends to fold up when we have gotten shallow, which exposes the rudder to the shallow area as well. The main thing I've found is not to panic-steer a hard turn to avoid potentially putting a lateral strain on the centerboard and forcing it out of alignment with its keel trunk.
My dealer told me....
That if you only rely on the line used to pull the rudder down into a vertical position, then the knot that holds that line in place is in effect a reusable shear pin. With sufficient force (and presumably less force than is needed to damage something else), the knot will pull through its hole in the rudder, freeing the rudder to pop up. Never tried it, never hit anything (yet).
That if you only rely on the line used to pull the rudder down into a vertical position, then the knot that holds that line in place is in effect a reusable shear pin. With sufficient force (and presumably less force than is needed to damage something else), the knot will pull through its hole in the rudder, freeing the rudder to pop up. Never tried it, never hit anything (yet).
line not good enough
I owned a 2000 H260 for 6 years now. Our lake has plenty of shallow areas. The stock rudder is fiberglas over a soft foam type of material. If you drill holes in it you open the interior to water. It will enter and at below freezing temperatures it will crack the rudder. Also if the rudder scrapes against the bottom it will grind through the fiberglas and again water will enter. I have run aground plenty of times and destroyed two rudders. Now I use the IDA rudder and the problems are solved. It is milled from a solid material, has a better shape and even though shorter it is more efective. In known deep water I use the stainless pin to lock down the rudder. If I am not sure I either use a shear pin or just the downhaul line. With the IDA rudder you can drill holes for the pin without any problems. When motoring in a shallow channel I raise the swing keel all the way and bring up the rudder into an intermediate position with the line. You don't want to sail that way because you greatly increase the loads on the rudder and it will break! I have found that for just messing around the boat will do allright with the swing keel all the way retracted unless you sail close hauled. That way I protect the keel in shallow water. It is a lot more work to repair.
I owned a 2000 H260 for 6 years now. Our lake has plenty of shallow areas. The stock rudder is fiberglas over a soft foam type of material. If you drill holes in it you open the interior to water. It will enter and at below freezing temperatures it will crack the rudder. Also if the rudder scrapes against the bottom it will grind through the fiberglas and again water will enter. I have run aground plenty of times and destroyed two rudders. Now I use the IDA rudder and the problems are solved. It is milled from a solid material, has a better shape and even though shorter it is more efective. In known deep water I use the stainless pin to lock down the rudder. If I am not sure I either use a shear pin or just the downhaul line. With the IDA rudder you can drill holes for the pin without any problems. When motoring in a shallow channel I raise the swing keel all the way and bring up the rudder into an intermediate position with the line. You don't want to sail that way because you greatly increase the loads on the rudder and it will break! I have found that for just messing around the boat will do allright with the swing keel all the way retracted unless you sail close hauled. That way I protect the keel in shallow water. It is a lot more work to repair.
Thanks to all for the info
Thanks to all for the info, I drilled the hole in the rudder now I have to figure out how to keep water from ruining the core.
Thanks to all for the info, I drilled the hole in the rudder now I have to figure out how to keep water from ruining the core.
rudder
I think you need to find another dealer. This business about the knot acting as a shear pin is to put it nicely, BS. Good way to break something. The neat thing about a pop-up rudder is that it is easily reset. Even if the knot pulled out without trauma, rethreading it would be a real pain in the water. Then how would you get home? Shear pins work fine but I recommend you install the CL257 clutch instead of a shear pin. More here: http://h260.com/rudder/rudder_problems/rudder.html
I think you need to find another dealer. This business about the knot acting as a shear pin is to put it nicely, BS. Good way to break something. The neat thing about a pop-up rudder is that it is easily reset. Even if the knot pulled out without trauma, rethreading it would be a real pain in the water. Then how would you get home? Shear pins work fine but I recommend you install the CL257 clutch instead of a shear pin. More here: http://h260.com/rudder/rudder_problems/rudder.html
H260 rudder
If you have not popped your rudder you are not trying hard enough. We sail in deep waters but often venture close to shore. This is where a pop-up rudder is ideal. Getting water in the core of the rudder can be a problem but I would not worry about water getting into the core of the rudder where the shear pin hole is. If you are worried, line the hole with a coating of epoxy.
If you have not popped your rudder you are not trying hard enough. We sail in deep waters but often venture close to shore. This is where a pop-up rudder is ideal. Getting water in the core of the rudder can be a problem but I would not worry about water getting into the core of the rudder where the shear pin hole is. If you are worried, line the hole with a coating of epoxy.
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