I had the noisy steering as well and my 2015 Outback was very hard to steer compared to my 2008 Revolution. Both my kayaks have the sailing rudder, Hobie why don’t you just make this standard? I bought it used, I’m third owner so I don’t know what adjustments the first two owners made, the lines were guitar string tight and were cutting a slot in the grommet. It was so tight that you had to almost force the rudder over the center. I loosened the lines, sprayed everything that moved including the block/pulley with silicone, bought a steering knob and all of that made the steering much better, but still not as smooth and easy as my 2008 Revolution. But I can live with it now and steer with my fingers rather than my fist.
Now every Hobie I see I feel the rudder lines to see if they are tight, almost all of them are. I ask the owners if they steer had and most answer no, but this is their first Hobie so they don’t really know. Many of them are cutting grooves in the grommets. Another thing I’ve noticed is that the steering tightens up during the day, I think the kayak must expand slightly in the Sun. When you are making your adjustments allow for that.
So, loosen you rudder lines, buy plenty of silicone spray and spray everything that moves, make sure you lines aren’t binding, buy a steering knob, enjoy.
_________________ Duncan
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