Can anyone tell me which bolts do I need to tighten (and apparently re-tighten)to keep the rudder on my Hunter 26, the "HDFC" from popping up? The tiller becomes VERY difficult to handle unless the rudder is all the way down. So far, I've tightened down the wing-type nut and the other hex nut that is below it, but above the waterline. Am I missing something? Many thanks, Slim
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Bob Reany
Choices
You can tighten everthing until your arms ache and it will still pop up. This has been discussed in this forum for at least two years. It comes down to 2 basic choices. 1. Tighten the line that holds the rudder in the down position and cleat it off. The one variation is there is such a thing as a spring loaded cleat the releases the line if the resistance exceeds a certain limit. Most people cleat off the line, using the standard cleat. The down side is that when you hit something and the rudder should pop-up, it doesn't. The upside is that you can steer and weather helm is a lot better, if the rudder stays down. 2. Hunter now sells the 260 and 240 with a shear pin that locks the rudder in the down position. It works just like the metal pin that holds the rudder up for trailering. This pin is made of plastic. You would need to drill a hole through your rudder in the down position and seal it. The good news is that Hunter will supply the pin and chain for free. The other good news is that we can assume that this pin will break under the right load (hitting bottom). The only down side is some people don't like to drill the hole. I installed the shear pin. My reasoning is that the pin must be rated for the correct load. Maybe it is a leap of faith. In any case, my rudder stays down.
You can tighten everthing until your arms ache and it will still pop up. This has been discussed in this forum for at least two years. It comes down to 2 basic choices. 1. Tighten the line that holds the rudder in the down position and cleat it off. The one variation is there is such a thing as a spring loaded cleat the releases the line if the resistance exceeds a certain limit. Most people cleat off the line, using the standard cleat. The down side is that when you hit something and the rudder should pop-up, it doesn't. The upside is that you can steer and weather helm is a lot better, if the rudder stays down. 2. Hunter now sells the 260 and 240 with a shear pin that locks the rudder in the down position. It works just like the metal pin that holds the rudder up for trailering. This pin is made of plastic. You would need to drill a hole through your rudder in the down position and seal it. The good news is that Hunter will supply the pin and chain for free. The other good news is that we can assume that this pin will break under the right load (hitting bottom). The only down side is some people don't like to drill the hole. I installed the shear pin. My reasoning is that the pin must be rated for the correct load. Maybe it is a leap of faith. In any case, my rudder stays down.
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Marcel
Tighten it more
The only thing you should have to tighten is the wing nut. If hand tightening does not hold it securely enough, you may have to put a tool on it. Looking at my 94, I don't think you can overtighten it, the red gasket inserts should give before your rudder does. The owners manual says: "Do not cleat the pull down line in the down position. Use the tensioning clamp for this purpose. If you run aground the rudder should be allowed to ride up against the friction of the clamp and not be retained down by the pull down rope". That indicates to me that the clamp and gasket material were designed to do the job. You might check the red rubber insert to make sure that it is all there, and that it has not hardened so much as to not have any give. If that is the case, it is replacement time. Just don't be tempted to tie the rudder down permanently, that could give you a lot more problems than a hard tiller. I have been using the "tighten it down hard" method for over 9 years, and I know of at least one '95 here in town that does the same thing.
The only thing you should have to tighten is the wing nut. If hand tightening does not hold it securely enough, you may have to put a tool on it. Looking at my 94, I don't think you can overtighten it, the red gasket inserts should give before your rudder does. The owners manual says: "Do not cleat the pull down line in the down position. Use the tensioning clamp for this purpose. If you run aground the rudder should be allowed to ride up against the friction of the clamp and not be retained down by the pull down rope". That indicates to me that the clamp and gasket material were designed to do the job. You might check the red rubber insert to make sure that it is all there, and that it has not hardened so much as to not have any give. If that is the case, it is replacement time. Just don't be tempted to tie the rudder down permanently, that could give you a lot more problems than a hard tiller. I have been using the "tighten it down hard" method for over 9 years, and I know of at least one '95 here in town that does the same thing.
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alan
I like the shear pin.
Oddly enough, I found that a Papermate Pen combines the neccesary holding power and shear ability. Wood dowels eventially chafe through or swell tight when wet. alan
Oddly enough, I found that a Papermate Pen combines the neccesary holding power and shear ability. Wood dowels eventially chafe through or swell tight when wet. alan
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Paul H
Shear Pin
Hey Alan will a Bic work? Only kidding. As far as the rudder popping up, I agree with Marcel. I replaced the rubber gaskets last fall, retightened the clamps and so far this sailing season it's staying down. The rubber gaskets were really hard and brittle when I scraped them off. Also, put in two new plastic gaskets for the tiller arm and that has cured the twisting I was getting which was wallowing out the connection hole. Paul H S/V Linda Belle 95 H26
Hey Alan will a Bic work? Only kidding. As far as the rudder popping up, I agree with Marcel. I replaced the rubber gaskets last fall, retightened the clamps and so far this sailing season it's staying down. The rubber gaskets were really hard and brittle when I scraped them off. Also, put in two new plastic gaskets for the tiller arm and that has cured the twisting I was getting which was wallowing out the connection hole. Paul H S/V Linda Belle 95 H26
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alan
Actually the Bic was too large for the hole I...
...drilled. Thought about taking the rudder appart and replacing the gaskets (standard engine gasket material as per Hunter) but along with other labor intensive projects, abandoned that in favor of the easy way out. Paul, are you talking about replacing the white plastic spacers? I also have a twisting problem when the rudder is under stress like following seas (making steering real sloppy.) alan
...drilled. Thought about taking the rudder appart and replacing the gaskets (standard engine gasket material as per Hunter) but along with other labor intensive projects, abandoned that in favor of the easy way out. Paul, are you talking about replacing the white plastic spacers? I also have a twisting problem when the rudder is under stress like following seas (making steering real sloppy.) alan
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Tom Wootton
Wingnut
The previous owner of my H26 had a larger wingnut fabricated out of SS barstock. It makes it easier to tighten, but I have to remember to leave it in a vertical position, or a hard turn to port will gouge the gelcoat on the stern.
The previous owner of my H26 had a larger wingnut fabricated out of SS barstock. It makes it easier to tighten, but I have to remember to leave it in a vertical position, or a hard turn to port will gouge the gelcoat on the stern.
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Paul H
White Plastic Spacers
Alan, Yes we replaced those spacers and tightened the side nuts. Hunter sells the gaskets and spacers. If you have access to a place that sells thin rubber material you probably could buy the gaskets at a more reasonable price.The only place I found the spacers were from Hunter. Since I've installed the spacers there is absolutely no twist to it at all anymore. If that didn't work I was going to use one of the suggestions I found on this site. They suggested you have a small metal tube welded in where the hole is wallowed and put in a little longer bolt and nut combo. That worked for them. Paul H S/V Linda Belle 95 H26
Alan, Yes we replaced those spacers and tightened the side nuts. Hunter sells the gaskets and spacers. If you have access to a place that sells thin rubber material you probably could buy the gaskets at a more reasonable price.The only place I found the spacers were from Hunter. Since I've installed the spacers there is absolutely no twist to it at all anymore. If that didn't work I was going to use one of the suggestions I found on this site. They suggested you have a small metal tube welded in where the hole is wallowed and put in a little longer bolt and nut combo. That worked for them. Paul H S/V Linda Belle 95 H26
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