just bought a 24' water ballast hunter. how do i keep the rudder in the down position? it keeps kicking up making for sloppy manuvering.
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Cleats
Do you have two cleats on top of the tiller right where it meets the rudder post. If so you should also have a rope running up through the rudder post from the top forward side of the rudder. This rope should then loop back down to the upper aft side of the rudder forming a loop. this would be the rudder downhaul/uphaul line. You should pull the rudder down by pulling up on the rope running down through the rudder post until the rudder is fully in the down position. Now cleat this line off to one of the cleats on top of the aft end of the tiller. Next you want to give a little tension to the rudder up haul line as this will cinch the downhaul into the cleat and prevent it from coming out while sailing. Cleat the rudder up haul to the second cleat on the tiller. This is the setup that I have on my '98 Hunter 240 and it works well until you bump something with the rudder and then up she goes, not an entirely fun situation if you are sailing downwind with a good breeze. The link is to the page out the Hunter240/260 manual with a diagram of the system.
Do you have two cleats on top of the tiller right where it meets the rudder post. If so you should also have a rope running up through the rudder post from the top forward side of the rudder. This rope should then loop back down to the upper aft side of the rudder forming a loop. this would be the rudder downhaul/uphaul line. You should pull the rudder down by pulling up on the rope running down through the rudder post until the rudder is fully in the down position. Now cleat this line off to one of the cleats on top of the aft end of the tiller. Next you want to give a little tension to the rudder up haul line as this will cinch the downhaul into the cleat and prevent it from coming out while sailing. Cleat the rudder up haul to the second cleat on the tiller. This is the setup that I have on my '98 Hunter 240 and it works well until you bump something with the rudder and then up she goes, not an entirely fun situation if you are sailing downwind with a good breeze. The link is to the page out the Hunter240/260 manual with a diagram of the system.
Yes, but . . .
WTA, I have a h23 with a kick-up rudder, and I'll be the first to admit it can be annoying to have it kick-up underway. But I would be more annoyed if it simply broke off in the down position. The reality is that my rudder, which is held by a line through a cam-cleate kicks up only when it hits something. The h23 only drafts 2'3" its keel, but the rudder drafts around 3'-3 1/2'(this is admittedly an estimate, at 6' tall with a proportionate arm span, I can't touch the bottom of the rudder extending as far underwater as I can with my face barely at the surface). Consequently, the keel may clear an object, but the rudder is still at risk. If Sheridq has a similar setup, allowing for the rudder to kickup may keep it intact. Jim Kolstoe, h23 Kara's Boo
WTA, I have a h23 with a kick-up rudder, and I'll be the first to admit it can be annoying to have it kick-up underway. But I would be more annoyed if it simply broke off in the down position. The reality is that my rudder, which is held by a line through a cam-cleate kicks up only when it hits something. The h23 only drafts 2'3" its keel, but the rudder drafts around 3'-3 1/2'(this is admittedly an estimate, at 6' tall with a proportionate arm span, I can't touch the bottom of the rudder extending as far underwater as I can with my face barely at the surface). Consequently, the keel may clear an object, but the rudder is still at risk. If Sheridq has a similar setup, allowing for the rudder to kickup may keep it intact. Jim Kolstoe, h23 Kara's Boo
Jim your right
You are right about that. I have had the rudder on my 240 kick up due to the down haul rope coming out of the cam cleat. Which usually happens when you "bump" something on the bottom. I don't think the method that I outlined in the above post suggests that the rudder would be held down permenantly with the rope and cleat setup. It is simply the way Hunter designed the rudder on my boat to function. I personally would not go with the shear pin idea that George mentions as I sail on Mobile Bay and am frequently in thin water(I have to raise the swing keel just to back into my slip at low tide). However if you stay primarily in deep water the shear pin may work fine.
You are right about that. I have had the rudder on my 240 kick up due to the down haul rope coming out of the cam cleat. Which usually happens when you "bump" something on the bottom. I don't think the method that I outlined in the above post suggests that the rudder would be held down permenantly with the rope and cleat setup. It is simply the way Hunter designed the rudder on my boat to function. I personally would not go with the shear pin idea that George mentions as I sail on Mobile Bay and am frequently in thin water(I have to raise the swing keel just to back into my slip at low tide). However if you stay primarily in deep water the shear pin may work fine.
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