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PostPosted: Fri Dec 27, 2013 4:51 am 
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Joined: Wed Dec 04, 2013 3:21 am
Posts: 78
Location: Pompano Beach, FL
The other day I snapped my plastic rudder pin in a squall a couple miles offshore (drifted along in a 3-4 knot current) and I didn't have a spare, or my passport for the Bahamas!

I'm now prepared should the up/down rudder lock chord break as well.
I also have an auxiliary steering component not pictured.

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"Take life seriously................it's eternal in one of 2 places - you choose!" :) :(


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PostPosted: Fri Dec 27, 2013 6:59 pm 
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Joined: Sun Apr 20, 2008 6:18 am
Posts: 3058
Location: Sarasota,Key West FL
I've had quite a few rudder failures, that's the main reason I have a backup emergency motor on my TI.
Bob


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PostPosted: Fri Dec 27, 2013 7:06 pm 
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Location: Pompano Beach, FL
fusioneng wrote:
I've had quite a few rudder failures, that's the main reason I have a backup emergency motor on my TI.
Bob


I think I'll look into getting some rudder pins machined out of aluminum and flog them on eBay! How much would you pay for one?!

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PostPosted: Fri Dec 27, 2013 10:18 pm 
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Joined: Sat Nov 05, 2011 1:58 am
Posts: 2893
Location: Forster, NSW, Australia
No way for me! Break a Hobie plastic pin? Fit one of your spares. Hit an underwater obstacle with an unbreakable pin? Watch the stern of your hull get ripped off, or the rudder blade snap!

This might seem fanciful, but I onc hit a biiig bull shark in a tinnie and the whole stern was thrown 4 feet in the air.

Even though I am an old overweight fart, I would always prefer to replace a broken rudder pin, even if I would need to jump overboard and swim to the stern to do it. (You also might have seen my alternative replacement rudder mechanism for dealing with total loss or breakage of trhe Hobie rudder)

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Tony Stott
2012 Tandem Island "SIC EM" with Hobie spinnaker


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PostPosted: Fri Dec 27, 2013 11:44 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jun 17, 2013 5:25 pm
Posts: 387
Location: Jaco, Costa Rica
I think the simple answer is, carry a couple spare pins, like Tony said, do not use anything but the Hobie pins, they are meant to be the first line of failure under pressure. If your rudder completely fails for any reason, non repairable on the water. Use your paddle for steering. Also if I'm by myself, going a long distance, I carry an extra set of pedals.

8) Elvis

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Mark
Tandem Island- 2013
2 - Sports - 2014


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PostPosted: Sat Dec 28, 2013 3:12 am 
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Joined: Wed Dec 04, 2013 3:21 am
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Location: Pompano Beach, FL
Thank you Tony and CR - I hear ya!
Come to think about it, about a year ago the navy was doing submarine exercises in the area - you never know when they might surface! :?:

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PostPosted: Sat Dec 28, 2013 5:51 am 
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Joined: Sat Nov 05, 2011 1:58 am
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Location: Forster, NSW, Australia
Last month I had to manouvre out of the way of three humpbacks on three occasions. My battleplan is, centreboard and rudder up, fins flat against the hull, and grab both handles and hang on, but I believe whales have good spacial awareness. Unfortunately oyster-clad "bommies" are not so clever.

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Tony Stott
2012 Tandem Island "SIC EM" with Hobie spinnaker


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PostPosted: Sat Dec 28, 2013 6:17 am 
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Location: Pompano Beach, FL
tonystott wrote:
Unfortunately oyster-clad "bommies" are not so clever.


Tony, that's a whale of a tale/tail :lol:

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PostPosted: Fri Jan 03, 2014 9:37 am 
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Joined: Sun May 08, 2011 6:36 am
Posts: 59
Location: CT
Hi, after reading many threads on back up steering, I settled on a large canoe paddle.
(Carlisle Guide paddle 72")
I have a TI and practiced on a large lake w 15 kt winds this fall.... It worked tho not as well as
the rudder. I agree w many that changing a rudder pin on the water is very difficult and best done on shore. So I wanted a quick and handy solution available at the worst moment - breaking a pin in rough windy conditions!

I tried using a standard Hobie kayak paddle but too much strain on it with strong winds, also needed a larger blade for more force! The 72" length is needed to gain leverage, plus the paddle is overbuilt fr aluminum shaft ( its heavy but very strong). It floats but I added extra floatation on the shaft, just in case it falls overboard. I added a bungee loop on the paddle shaft to throw over my Hobie rod holders, using it as a pivot point to steer. The large paddle has to be lifted from side to side in order to steer in either direction, so the bungee loop frees up using your hand as pivot point.

As others have noted, a canoe paddle is more handy than kayak paddle while having AMAs out.....

Very happy w this canoe paddle solution!


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