I have a Nacra 6.0 that is developing quite a bit of rudder slop. It seems to all exist between the holes in the rudder casting and the rudder pins. Has anyone else experienced this? Have any of you had any luck putting bushings in or possibly opening up the holes in the gudgeons and using larger rudder pins? Thanks.
Tim Dry
Nacra 6.0 #32
http://www.catamaranracing.org
A while back I had the same question.
I used bushings from McMaster-Carr, drilled out the castings bigger, and replaced the pins with new ones.
Best $25 I've spent on the boat ever.
sweet! Glad that worked!
I have drilled and re-bushed mine as well!! Works wonders and keeps the rudders under the boat. With the slop I had, the rudders would kick back as much as a half inch.
Worth the effort. New castings are $$$$$.
Check the slop between the rudder pin and the gudgeon too. My gudgeons were worn out as well.
Just take your time.
Be sure to use new rudder pins to fit the bushings....
Good Luck!
AJ
Nacra 6.0 Express
Can you give me some more details on this approach? Do you have any pictures? Part numbers? Sizes? Thanks.
Tim Dry
Nacra 6.0 Orig #32
Tim,
I got the Gudgeons and pins from the local Nacra dealer (Key Sailing, Pensacola). That was the easy part.
Having access to a drill press is the best way to drill the castings. I did mine by hand. Not too bad, but would be easier with the press. I used brass (or bronze.. cant remember, been a few years ago 
) tubing to bush the castings. I went in search of a size that would fit the rudder pin nice and snug (inside the tube). Then I drilled the casting the same size as the outer diameter of the tube. I pressed them in using a c-clamp and some epoxy. The epoxy was practically useless since most of it came off when I pressed the tubing in. 
I think it did keep the corrosion down though. To date I still have not seen any corrosion. I sail primarily in the ocean and my boat stays at the beach under cover.
I'll see if I can get a digital camera to post a pic.
It is really simple..... You just cant rush it. There may be a better way and better material to use? 
This was super cheap and easy though. After 5 years there is still no wear. About time for new gudgeons again though.
AJ
Nacra 6.0 Express
Tim,
You can get nylon bushings from Murrays - See page 41 of the new cataloge. Although they're sold for Hobie 14/16/17/18, those boats take the same diameter pin as a NACRA, so they should work fine. I seem to recall Salty Dog marine (www.saltydogmarine.com) sold them for less.
I don't think they'll last five years, but they're probably very easily replaceable. Of course, they'll only work if your casings haven't worn to more than 7/16" diameter, as that's the OD of the bushings.
Pete Schmalzer
NACRA 5.8NA/MN 1302
Pete said:
"You can get nylon bushings from Murrays - See page 41 of the new cataloge. Although they're sold for Hobie 14/16/17/18, those boats take the same diameter pin as a NACRA, so they should work fine. (snip)
Of course, they'll only work if your casings haven't worn to more than 7/16" diameter, as that's the OD of the bushings."
I tried this solution. The Hobie bushings didn't fit my castings and pins very well. Unless your castings are VERY worn, you'll need to drill out the castings to fit the Hobie bushings.
sea ya
tami
Well, of course you'll have to drill out the castings. It's geometrically impossible to add a bushing and keep the same pin diameter without doing so, unless the holes have worn to exactly the right diameter. I wouldn't count on that happening.