New rudder status

Had our first fleet meeting of the year last night. We are going to have a big year with a HCA points regatta this year for me and a B- Fleet in our club races for my kids. So, eventhough there is still ice on the lake I am READY to sail.

Matt, any update on when the new rudders will be available for the 16? Final price FOB Kalamazoo? Can I get them pre-drilled for the 16? Do I want them pre-drilled? (Matt B)

Thanks,

John

New EPO2 Rudders should be available mid-March-ish.

Epoxy Carbons and Carbon Kevlar are $250.00 each. White Polyesther ones $220.00

These will be undrilled.

FOB Oceanside...

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

John,

There's a drilling template on-line at http://www.hobiecat.com/support/tech/rudder.html, but I found it hard to work with.

Best thing is to find somebody who's very satisfied with their rudder rake / balance and use their rudders as a template. Use a 5/16" bit in a hand drill to mark the spot, then use a drill press to drill fully though. The Euro carbon blades that I just got have stainless steel sleeves that line the holes. They take a larger hole (13/32" I think). I'm not sure if the new EPO's will have those or not.

If you'll notice on the drilling template, the hole positions are different for the rake adjustable castings vs the non-adjustable (pre '83) castings.

If you want (and if you don't need the new rudders for a couple of weeks in late May), I can take them with me to Syracuse and have Billy Jeffers drill them for you. Billy has "the" jig that (for whatever reason) puts them in the perfect spot. I used his jig when drilling the original rudders on my '98 boat and the balance was absolutely perfect.

Matt

The new EPO2s will not need the sleeves. There is solid fiber, clear through, in the bolt hole locations.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Do the new rudders have a different profile from the standard racing rudders or is the difference just in construction?

The shape of the rudder is more like the old EPO, but with a refined (thinner) trailing edge. The racer blade was supposed to be a similar shape to the EPO, but I found the whole foil to be a bit different. The EPO (and the new blades) have a thicker foil. The basic profile is the same.

The key is that the EPO was VERY well received. Now we have something comparable.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Thanks matt and matt too. We priced materials to build some ourselves as I mentioned in another post...YEESH! $$$$

I had EPO's on my 16, have 'em on my 17. Wouldn't want any other. Very highly recommended upgrade.

_________________
The fact that this windy world is largely covered in water obviously means that man was meant to sail.

Matt (s),

Any word on the EPO 2 availability?

Thanks,

John

Last I heard (from Matt M.) was mid to late March.

Just heard that they are in LA...

Shipment is inbound within a week or so.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Matt,

What is the difference, if any between the white polyester and the black carbon? Other than the obvious material difference. Any difference in stiffness, weight, etc?

Thanks,

John

Difference?

Not much really. Shape is the same and stiffness really can not be determined as to what is really better. The poly is a little heavier.

I think the Gucci look is the biggest difference between the three. I had white made for those with weeds or kelp in their area of sailing.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

I have been sailing Carbon Rudders since 4 years now on my 16. Some of you guys have seen me on the events along the East Coast.
The original idea to have Carbon Rudders on a 16 comes from Detlef Mohr, a former European Champion in the 16.
I think we have the Carbon Rudders since about 10 years now.
Hobie Cat has now tried to duplicate those.
We did not like the EPOs as in heavier weather tend to have spin outs and going downwind you should sail with the windward rudder up.

This I don´t have to worry about. Also carbon is harder so that the blades don´t get damaged as often as EPO ones or the white rudders.
With the European rudder setup you can also rake the rudders more and allow more mast rake.
As the carbon rudders are slimmer at the trailing edge you get a better performance while tacking also the boat does not stall that easy as with the EP ones. Don´t worry about weight, leave a beer more ashore that helps more;-)

Similar things apply to the carbon TIGER rudders, but they are not as good as the Mohr rudders.

Hope this helps.

Fritz-R. Klocke
VA Beach

_________________
Fritz-R. Klocke

What? Hobie Cat did not "copy" some Europe Carbon blade... anyway, carbon blades have been around for ages. This EPO2 is the Original EPO shape with a refined trailing edge. You are completely off on your EPO evaluation. The EPO was well known for excellent performance and handling. Less cavitation and spin out than a thinner blade (as you describe the Europe carbon). With the refined trailing edge, the EPO2 is now even better than before. It has none of the drawbacks you state and all of the benifits you claim for your Euro carbons. Rudder rake and mast rake... even the older Hobie Cat Racer blade handles those extremes well. Perhaps you had never actually sailed an EPO blade? I have and they are legendary.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Matt,
I probably should feel offended, but don´t worry about that.

I was just trying to give the sailors here some feed back on Carbon Rudders.



And as I was writing in the "I" form, I thought this was clear, how much "I"
like carbon rudders. But obviously this feed back is not desired.

Kind regards

Fritz

PS: My rudder experience:

1980 Hobie 14 - LEXAN rudders
1986 Hobie 16 - EPO rudders
1988 Hobie 16 - EPO rudders
1990 Hobie 16 - EPO rudders
1992 Hobie 16 - HITEC rudders ("Version 1")
1994 Hobie 16 - HITEC rudders ("Version 1")
1997 Hobie 16 - HITEC rudders ("Version 2") later changed to HITEC PRO rudders made from Carbon
2001 Hobie 16 - HITEC PRO rudders
2002 TIGER White Carbon rudders
2004 TIGER Hobie Carbon rudders

_________________
Fritz-R. Klocke