There was a discussion a while back about the tendency of the rudder of the H 26 to creep up while sailing at speed and attempts to stop this. My boat has a large wing nut which can be tightened but it still crept up when moving fast - usually when the wind is really blowing and the idea of hanging off the back of the boat to push the rudder down and further tighten the wing nut is a pain in ... You get my drift. I tried cleating the rope on the rudder down (in knowing violation of the clear and good advice in the owner's manual) on occasion to try to keep it down. This is a bad idea if you run aground and naturally that is what I did(easily done in Matagorda Bay) - The rope fortunately broke out of the rudder glass before I tore the rudder out of the transom. Remove the rudder and a little fiber glass repair and good as new but not an experience to repeat. This caused me to finally try something which seems to work. I drilled a 1/4 inch hole through the aluminum plates and rudder toward the top of the rudder/plate assembly. I put a wood dowel through this and use it as a shear pin holding the rudder down. If I run aground the dowel shears and the rudder comes up, but is seems to be just strong enough to keep the rudder down when moving fast. I may move to a larger dowel if sailing at speed shears the 1/4 inch size. This may be a simple solution to keeping the rudder down. Has anyone any experience with this fix?
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Mark Kissel
Shear pin
Pat, A fellow sailor at the lake uses this method. Although he has a different brand boat, the implementation is the same. He uses 1/4 inch dowels and keeps a supply on board. I've never asked him if he has ever had one shear at hull speed. Seems to work just fine for him. Mark Kissel Kittiwake/H240
Pat, A fellow sailor at the lake uses this method. Although he has a different brand boat, the implementation is the same. He uses 1/4 inch dowels and keeps a supply on board. I've never asked him if he has ever had one shear at hull speed. Seems to work just fine for him. Mark Kissel Kittiwake/H240
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Rick Webb
2 to 1
I am going to place in the photo forum a drawing Hunter sent me (hope they do not mind, Phil take it out if they do). It shows how to constuct a purchase on the rudder making it possible to pull down while under way, did mine it was an easy job.
I am going to place in the photo forum a drawing Hunter sent me (hope they do not mind, Phil take it out if they do). It shows how to constuct a purchase on the rudder making it possible to pull down while under way, did mine it was an easy job.
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Bill and Nancy Berg
spring release cleat
We purchased a clam cleat brand "Auto release cleat" that releases under pressure. ie: hitting bottom. It can be adjusted to any load. Our 2000 H260 is still sailing the driveway, awaiting launch, but we've tested it and think it will do the job.
We purchased a clam cleat brand "Auto release cleat" that releases under pressure. ie: hitting bottom. It can be adjusted to any load. Our 2000 H260 is still sailing the driveway, awaiting launch, but we've tested it and think it will do the job.
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Norm Steffen
RUDDER CREEP
We purchased a '94 Hunter 26 about a year and a half ago and I read a number of forum articles concerning weather helm on the H26. Often it was traced to the rudder not being all the way down. Therefore before I put her in the water the first time I cleaned all the mating surfaces at the wing nut. I was amazed how dirty these were. The boat was in the water the whole season without ever exibiting creeping up. Hope this helps. N. Steffen
We purchased a '94 Hunter 26 about a year and a half ago and I read a number of forum articles concerning weather helm on the H26. Often it was traced to the rudder not being all the way down. Therefore before I put her in the water the first time I cleaned all the mating surfaces at the wing nut. I was amazed how dirty these were. The boat was in the water the whole season without ever exibiting creeping up. Hope this helps. N. Steffen
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Norm Steffen
RUDDER CREEP
We purchased a '94 Hunter 26 about a year and a half ago and I read a number of forum articles concerning weather helm on the H26. Often it was traced to the rudder not being all the way down. Therefore before I put her in the water the first time I cleaned all the mating surfaces at the wing nut. I was amazed how dirty these were. The boat was in the water the whole season without ever exibiting creeping up. Hope this helps. N. Steffen
We purchased a '94 Hunter 26 about a year and a half ago and I read a number of forum articles concerning weather helm on the H26. Often it was traced to the rudder not being all the way down. Therefore before I put her in the water the first time I cleaned all the mating surfaces at the wing nut. I was amazed how dirty these were. The boat was in the water the whole season without ever exibiting creeping up. Hope this helps. N. Steffen
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Dave Condon
Auto release cleat
Bill; Where did you purchase your Auto release cleat and can you give me the mfg and model number as I would likt to explore this. Good idea about the dowel. Old dogs can learn new tricks even if theyhave lost some brains over the years Crazy Dave
Bill; Where did you purchase your Auto release cleat and can you give me the mfg and model number as I would likt to explore this. Good idea about the dowel. Old dogs can learn new tricks even if theyhave lost some brains over the years Crazy Dave
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Tom
Bill Berg...
I am looking at doing the same thing. A couple questions. Is that the "kick-up cleat" folks have referred to? I finally found one in the APS catalog. Does the cleat use the existing holes where you removed the stock cleat from the spot where the emergency tiller goes or did you have to redrill? Also, like Dave, what's the part number and where did you get it?? Thanks Tom
I am looking at doing the same thing. A couple questions. Is that the "kick-up cleat" folks have referred to? I finally found one in the APS catalog. Does the cleat use the existing holes where you removed the stock cleat from the spot where the emergency tiller goes or did you have to redrill? Also, like Dave, what's the part number and where did you get it?? Thanks Tom
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Ron Mehringer
Auto Release Cleat URL
Here's a web site that offers an auto release cleat for rudders. If anyone tries them, let us know how it goes. http://www.clamcleat-rope-cleats.com/speciali.htm Ron Mehringer Hydro-Therapy
Here's a web site that offers an auto release cleat for rudders. If anyone tries them, let us know how it goes. http://www.clamcleat-rope-cleats.com/speciali.htm Ron Mehringer Hydro-Therapy
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Ron Mehringer
Auto release may be too small...
Just noticed that the product on the web page I provided only accomodates lines upto 1/4". Ron Mehringer Hydro-Therapy
Just noticed that the product on the web page I provided only accomodates lines upto 1/4". Ron Mehringer Hydro-Therapy
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Tom
Ron...
Thanks for the URL. However, you can't BUY anything there, you'll have to find a local distributer or get one from a catalog. I found them in the APS catalog, their URL: http://apsltd.com/default.htm Back to Bill Berg.......Hello Bill!! Where'd ya get it? Tom
Thanks for the URL. However, you can't BUY anything there, you'll have to find a local distributer or get one from a catalog. I found them in the APS catalog, their URL: http://apsltd.com/default.htm Back to Bill Berg.......Hello Bill!! Where'd ya get it? Tom
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