Hobie Rudders

Has anyone had problems with rudder deployment and retrieval?  I have an Outback and a Revo, both 2007s.  Both rudders tend to jam frequently and can be very difficult to deploy or retrieve.  In calm water time is not an issue and I can work out the jam.  I have also opened the hatch, reached inside and moved the cables around until the rudder frees.  In kelp with large swells, and when returning to shore with breaking waves (GSM4 @ Shelter Cove), the rudder jam is a saftey issue and manipulating cables is not an option.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks,

Doug

i have has some issues pulling it back up. I usually crank the 'tiller' side to side a few times and it seems to free it up. But am interested to hear if others have had issues and the cause.

I will try the tiller trick.

Thanks,

Doug

I don't have any issues with my 07 Adventure but experience the very thing you've described on my 08 Outback.

I, too, will try your trick Eric.  Thanks.

I feel like I read somewhere awhile back where there was a fix to this but I could be wrong.

Is it the "Twist & Stow" style?  I don't have this problem with the older straight up/down style on my OB.

i have has some issues pulling it back up. I usually crank the 'tiller' side to side a few times and it seems to free it up. But am interested to hear if others have had issues and the cause.

Side to side a  few times, then all the way to the right and lift seems to work.  What ever you do, dont force it, i've felt the cables jump the track so to speak before, but it went back on no trouble.

try loosening the thru bolt on the rudder just a nudge, and try to turn the rudder to the right so that the lines run in a straight line not a sharp turn if the rudder is turned to the left.

I have the newer system on my Revo.  It seems to work much better than the lever system I had on my older Hobie.  The fact that Hobie has changed the mechanism is a pretty good clue that the previous system was less than perfect.  Maybe they will come out with a retrofit to the new system.  I understand the new system was first used on their inflatables.

Martin

I have a '09 Revo w/sailing rudder and once at Berryessa I was pulling on the handle to raise the rudder and the screw holding the front pulley came through the hull. Took it to Wind Toys and John fixed it by placing washers behind the panhead screw he used to replace the countersunk type.

I heard on other boards this was a problem experienced by more than a few people and Hobie did some changes to the system for the '10 models.

Make certain the rudder is straight before you pull it up and you'll have less resistance to deal with.