Hi, I've got an Inter17 with the original rudders -- I've got two questions about them.
1. Has anyone found it necessary to drop a rivet through the top of the rudder head casting to tighten up the little bit of slop in the tiller arm/casting connection?
2. Are the original rudders the same as the originals on the I18/20? Are the 2nd gen the same as the 2nd gen for the I18/20? Murray's shows the I17s as the same as the 570/580, but the nacra parts manual shows the I17s as the same as the 18/20.
Thanks!
yes the n17 18 and 20 all same rudders.
Before you re-rivet the tiller arms, put some epoxy in the socket to stop it coming loose again
I PVA'ed one of the arms before putting it back in, just in case I'd need to inject some epoxy, but figured I'd try the rivets alone first.
I didn't do the other, and the holes in that one are a little corroded and oversized, leading to that connection being a little sloppy...figures.
What he said ^^^
I've had them riveted on top and bottom, side and top, bottom and side, wrapped it in plastic, made spacers, wedged crap in it...they all eventually came loose but thickened epoxy and two bottom rivets served me well for multiple years with no problem.
The epoxy solution would make repair a little more difficult - but epoxy eases with heat and all you would need to do would be to cook it for a little while to get the epoxy to let go of the aluminum arm.