Kick-Up Rudder

[Chuck Lewis]

The kick Up rudder on my 1973 Ericson 25 pops up any time I go over 3.5 knots, any sujustion on what to tigen or replase. Thanks

 

[mIKE]

Rudder fix

I have a C22 with a kick up rudder that would work itself up while sailing. That would cause a big problem, lack of steerage. i would not be able to just push it back down, because of the bouyancy. I had to step over the stern rail and stand on it to return it to the proper position. I had two options. First, I could have drilled a hole and thru bolted the rudder to make it a fixed one. Not ideal. I bought a piece of the heavyist bungee cord I could find. I drilled a hole on the forward edge of the rudder just below the aluminum assembly, but above the water line. I finished it with fiberglas resin to keep the rudder watertight. I fabricated two clamps out of alunimum metal to attach to the sides of the alunimum rudder assembly, just below the tiller pivot point. I put the bungee thru the hole in the rudder and clamped it at both ends with machine screws that were already there, tightening the bungee before final clamp down. I have never experienced a single episode of rudder creep since then. I still have a rudder which will kick up in the event of a grounding.

 

[john]

I had a 23' kells that had a rudder with a line

that ran right thru a hole drilled in the lower part of the rudder. There was a cleat up high that the line was tied to. It would hold the rudder down, yet allowed it to swing up if it hit bottom

 

[Larry S.]

Rudder Fix

The kick up rudder on our '75 Mariner was doing what you described. I'm not sure if it's like yours. I replaced the lock nuts that held the aluminum plates and rudder assembly frame together and tightened them just enough to allow the rudder to kick up if it struck anything. Seemed to do the trick.

 

[Bob B.]

Another Rudder Fix C22

If your rudder is similar to my 1980 C22, there is not much friction between the rudder & the aluminum rudder head.I made a 1/4" X 6" "washer" from a soft rubber material. This fits on the pivot pin between the Al. head & rudder & conforms to the irregularities of the rudder, providing enough friction that the rudder does not pivot up unless the tightening bolt is loosened. One piece 1/8" thick on EACH side of the rudder would be twice as effective. Also, I made a SS tightening bolt & handle as the Catalina handle was brass & the 3/8" female thread stripped out while sailing. This could have been bad news as I could have lost the rudder. Regards Bob B.

 

[Bob]

Ericson Rudder

In those years the transom mounted rudder on many Ericsons was attached to the stern gudgeons with a long stainless rod, so that the rudder could be slid upwards in shallow water or to reduce drag. Is yours really "kicking up" (pivoting) or is it sliding up on that rod? If the latter, you can easily install a spring loaded tab that will keep it from rising when you don't want it to.