Awesome Tandem surf launch

Bob, are you running the modified sail plan when this happens?

It sounds like the sails are overpowering the rudder and if you are fighting it that hard, then trimming or reefing is called for. Or else unusual currents/waves are contributing.

Out here, we have broken TI gudgeon bolts and snapped whole rudders in half, but so far no pins I can recall. However, if you are flying extra sail area or surfing, then it makes perfect sense. All bets are off.

A redesigned 4 bolt transom/rudder is a way to fix this. More daggerboard perhaps.

I just had that experience, breaking 3 TI rudder pins in 2 outings. I removed the transom to find all 3 bolts loose, but plenty of Lock-tite around them. So either they were loosened/tightened after drying or conditions caused them to move and break their seal.

The first pin may have been cracked when the wind grabbed the bow while launching, possibly backing the rudder lightly into the sandy bottom. I failed about 30 minutes later while sailing. The second pin broke seconds after replacing the first! The third pin broke on the next sail outing while surfing small waves back in after a couple hours sail, but nothing with too much stress.

I removed the newest pin after two full sails without a break and it looks brand new - no marks on it at all. So re-tightening the transom seems to have fixed it. Before disassembling, the transom did not seem loose at all, even though it's bolts were only then hand tight.

Before last week, I had not broken a single rudder pin of the new, longer style in over 2 1/2 years. I even broke the original twist-n-stow rudder without breaking a pin. So, maybe something to check if you are breaking pins.

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Hobie Island Sailing since 2006

NOHUHU:
Actually a couple of those rudder pins I suspect were my own doing (hitting the bottom). So the rudder pin problem may not be as prevalent as I discribe, just my bad luck.
I always have my massive sails aboard, and have well over 2000 sailing miles using this sail plan on now my 3rd TI. However I really never had difficulties with rudder pins until this most recent TI (purchased around 7 months ago). Probably just bad luck on my part recently, but I'm now gun shy about rudder pins, and AKA sheer pins (maybe touching on paranoid LOL).

KayakingBob:
Good advise, I will check the Transom bolts.

Bob

Mahalo Bob. Time to check ours again, as we are getting much more decent wind and weather now.

With all the reefs and surfing we have here, inspecting the pins and screw should be part of the default post-sail checklist. But it rarely is. I've been getting complacent, or forgetful in my salty old age.

Thanks for the reminder.