Rudder on 240

[Nathan Schaan]

Does anyone have some idea how to keep the rudder down on the 240?We sailed on Tuesday and the rudder would keep poping up. I cranked on the handle that clamps the rudder, but that just dosen't work.Nathan

 

[AL]

there two lines on 260

On our 260, there are two lines on the rudder; one for pulling it up (attached to the aft part of the rudder) and one for keeping it down (attached to the leading edge). The one attached to the leading edge of the rudder can be cleated once the rudder is all the way down - this keeps it from coming up. We have not had it kick up when it is cleated correctly. Perhaps the rudder is not ALL the way down when you cleat it?

 

[Dave Royce]

All Bolts and nuts not tight enough

You have three bolts and nuts that hold the rudder into the brackets. The top and bottom ones are actual nuts that you need a wrench for. Tighten these with the third nut (wing-nut) loose. Get the upper and lower snug so the rudder has some resistance, it should be a little tight and not move freely. Then tighten the wing nut, this should keep the rudder very snug. The rubber inside the rudder brackets will allow the rudder to kick up if you hit anything. I just went through this when I rebuilt my rudder assembly.

 

[Frank Sears]

A pop up rudder

I have a H260 and last year my rope keep coming lose and the rudder would pop up, even after I had tightened the rudder nut with a large wrench and cheater bar. My rudder had spilt open in the back and was replaced. While the rudder was gone I did some playing... At the bottom of the rudder housing there was a bolt running though the housing with a spreader sleeve within the housing. This sleeve restricted the amount of closure pressure you can get with the rudder bolt. So... I removed the bolt and ground about a quarter inch off the lenght of the spreader sleeve and reinstalled. Now the rudder stays down with the bolt lever tentioned with hand pressure.I hope this makes sense... and good luck. My rudder always seemed to pop up at the worst times. My wife hated it.

 

[Ray Bowles]

Maybe a H26 rudder trick might work?

The rudder on our 95 H26 has a large wing nut for applying pressure on the side plates to help lock the rudder down. It also has a line cleat on the bottom of the tiller handle. This pairing up of locks also hinders the ability of the rudder popping up if struck underwater.We have found, after many, many sailing miles that simply tightening the wing nut as tight as possible, by hand, and then applying a bungee cord to the forward end of the line loop and attaching it to the tiller extension mounting post will keep the rudder in the full down position and also allow it to kick up when needed.I know it is too simple but try it. We used to cleat the line loop off but that prevents the kick up. A well tensioned bungee used without the cleat has worked 100% of the time without the rudder creaping up. That creeping can be what I consider one of the most dangerous conditions built into the H26.RayS/V Speedy

 

[Mike]

Right on AL

As Al mentioned for the 260, the line coming up through the rudder post must be pulled tight and cleated to keep the rudder down - you can crank all you want on the pivot and the rudder will come up without this line being tied off. I tie the pull-up line snug too, since if you don't it might drift into the outboard prop (been there).