PA12 rudder pin

3rd time out I lose my steering and the rudder is dangling underneath by the up/down line. The rudder pin fell out. Managed to get things back together on the water with a lot of care, much ingenuity (used scissors to remove cover bolts as I had no screwdriver) and much swimming/diving. The pin didn't go back in as tight as I would have thought. I seem to recall seeing a video where someone had to hammer it in/out. I could easily push it in/out manually with the blunt tip of my braid cutters. I was thinking of gluing it in with goop or loctite. Any thoughts?

Go to the hardware store and buy a few spares. You may find that one or the other fits tighter and will be less likely to slip out. I checked mine when this issue first raised its head and mine seems reasonably tight. I'm guessing there is some variance in the pins themselves.

Or, a small ball of Goop on either end could keep the pin from coming out, but could be removed if you ever want to remove the pin on purpose.

Of course you've already figured out that you need to carry a small tool kit or a "leatherman" tool on board.

Try using a SS cotter pin.

Just had this same thing happen to me on my last trip. Has anyone else used an SS cotterpin? Does the SS cotterpin hold up ok? My original pin seemed to vanish so I don't even know what the original looks like?

I changed mine to a SS cotter pin when I installed the larger rudder steering cam on my PA14... It still works and you will have higher chance of on the water repairs.

When I removed the OEM split pin, it was rusted in and had to be drilled out... not an On the water job.

Thanks for your post, I will check my PA 12 in the morning

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Fishing is not a matter of life or death... It's much more important than that!

I didnt actualy lose my pin - it just fell out and I was lucky enough to find it in the well and was able to get er back together and in. Instead of the cotter pin, I simply applied a dap of goop to each end of the pin to prevent it from coming out again. It's just enough to keep it in place and to small enough to be able to easily remove it if need me.