Ok this time I do have a question.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HOBIE-CAT-18-RUDDER-CONVERSION-KIT-PART-60331010-/230702283265?pt=Boat_Parts_Accessories_Gear&vxp=mtr&hash=item35b6ed7a01#ht_500wt_668

Found this on ebay, is this the only place to get the up graded rudder system? Is the price fair?

Thanks

--
Jim
New Orleans

'83 H18 SX mods 2013 -
'65 Lavey Craft 2005 -
'69 Cal 25 1997 - 2001
'80 P16 1980 - 1996
--

No and not sure. Any 86 and up boat will have that set up, so if you can find it used it should cost less. HTH, Richard.

--
Lake Perry KS
H-18
N-5.5 UNI +spin
--

Murrays runs the same set for about that price, where I to choose I would go with murrays.

And link please:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/H…em35b6ed7a01#ht_500wt_66

--
Stefan, Denmark.
H14,H16,P16,P18,SC17,N5.8
Team StaySail
http://www.staysail.eu
--

I have done this upgrade, it was well worth it... but expensive

Whats the difference?

--
Nacra 6.0 NA
Ogden Dunes, IN
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The older rudders do not use the cam mechanism and are hard to lock down and harder to get up. They have a metal sort of cam and they just do not work as well as the newer style. They are not interchangable either, it is either old or new. The old can work OK but generally do not. The newer style (86 and up) use the cam system and has adjustable rake, which are both way better than the old style. Having had both, the newer set up is just miles ahead of the old style. Check ebay and craiglist for parts. HTH, Ricardo.

--
Lake Perry KS
H-18
N-5.5 UNI +spin
--

The old style will also, if not maintained properly, break when you hit something. Friend of mine broke both castings already, sailed his H18 just 4 times in 2 years.

--
Stefan, Denmark.
H14,H16,P16,P18,SC17,N5.8
Team StaySail
http://www.staysail.eu
--

my old casting system developed a crack in it (i assume from hitting ground) and instead of spending cash to have it welded i spent the money for the upgdade kit.

Yeah its a great upgrade and its expensive. I sold my rudder system when my hull snapped I posted the parts on craigslist the rudder system sold fast! The guy drove a few hundred miles as was at my door at 7 am with cash in hand to get it. You can find complete H18's for $650 with the old rudder system so it hurts to spend that on parts if your H18 is in good shape I would go for it. Read this about H18's before you spend the money http://surfsidesailing.wo…hobie-18-history-lesson/make sure you click on the read this part it links back to a beachcat thread. I would fix this first if your boat is one of the bad years.



Edited by fa1321 on Feb 14, 2012 - 09:26 AM.

I did this upgrade on my first H18 (1981 model) after breaking several castings and then finally tearing out the stern when the rudders refused to kick up even with me yanking like H on them as I landed through the surf at Panama City Beach.

The upgrade is expensive, but not as expensive as repairing damage like this.



--
Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

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I dont completely disagree with what has been said about the old system other than my own experience. I noticed my old rudder system was hard to kick up so I filed the surface that the pin travels against as the rudders kick up. I noticed that mine was very slightly worn and so it was not a flat surface, there was a slight indent.

Doing this and loosening the tension adjustment and adding some marine grease to the now flat suface once or twice a season has served me well on my '81. Many launches and landings on the SC shore as well as a local beach at the lake.

From time to time when the boat is on the trailor and the trailer tongue on the ground I will put the rudders down and kick them up by hand to test them.

I may do this one day, next time I have an extra wad of $100s laying around. If you have the spare cash then it would be good to do. But dont stress over it if you dont and just do some maintenance on them.

Congrats on the boat, Im sure you will love it!

--
David
Memphis, TN
'84 Hobie 18
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also plastic (delron?) rudder pins are available. These are designed to break away before your transom does. I have never seen them in use, but sounds like a decent idea and much cheaper than the upgrade

"Olde Style" has worked just fine for me in last two years.

--
Nacra 6.0 NA
Ogden Dunes, IN
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sailinagin

I may do this one day, next time I have an extra wad of $100s laying around. If you have the spare cash then it would be good to do. But dont stress over it if you dont and just do some maintenance on them.

Kevin219

"Olde Style" has worked just fine for me in last two years.

This is a good point and the reason forums are excellent for advice. I didn't mean to make it sound like you shouldn't sail the boat with the old style rudder system, only that the newer is much better. But it's a l LOT of money to put into an older boat.

In a case where a Hobie 18 is being sailed where you won't need to land through surf (where you need to pop up the rudders at the last instant) then you can certainly do just fine without automatically kick-up rudders.

What I would say is that if you have the old style rudders, you should treat the boat as if the rudders do not kick-up at all to be safe, because you never know when they might decide not to. "You pays your money or you takes your chances."

If the system seems to work fine then go for it, even damage like my picture can (and was) fixed, it's only fiberglass!

--
Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

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MN3

also plastic (delron?) rudder pins are available. These are designed to break away before your transom does. I have never seen them in use, but sounds like a decent idea and much cheaper than the upgrade

Problem is they do their job too well.

Because of my multiple problems with the original style castings on my 1981 H18 I tried these (Fiberglass not Delron) plastic pins and nearly lost my entire rudder system to the emerald green water of the Gulf of Mexico.

The fiberglass pins break really easy, even the pressure of high speed sailing. I was sailing fast offshore and hit something with both rudders, maybe Jellyfish or seaweed, not sure, but the whole rudder system was suddenly only connected to the boat by my hand on the tiller extension! Everything was dragging behind the boat. If I had lost my grip in surprise the whole thing would have been deep-sixed. I've heard of that happening to others.

So I don't recommend the plastic pins.

--
Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

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DamonLinkous

So I don't recommend the plastic pins.

Agreed. I had the same thing happen on my H16, except that only one of the fiberglass rudder pins broke (for no apparent reason).

Gulf of Mexico, solo, trying to get in before a fast-approaching squall nails me. I could steer with the one rudder, but it was a b#%*! passing half the rudder assembly, crossbar, and hiking stick (all at once) behind the mainsheet when I had to jibe!

I use aluminum pins.



Edited by rattlenhum on Feb 15, 2012 - 12:02 PM.

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Jerome Vaughan
Hobie 16
Clinton, Mississippi
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We use the Aluminum pins also, we remove them every year and then white grease them every spring and good for the summer. Same for the cams grease every spring. We adjust the tension so they take about 5 pounds (guessing totally) of pull at the bottom of the blade. I have sailed the old castings a couple of times and they never came up as easy or as well as the newer style. Some have the older ones work fine but most do not. I like Damon have seen boats virtually ruined with the transom torn off with the older castings. A worthwhile upgrade in my opinion, in almost 20 years with the newer style castings I have never had a problem. We replace the cames every 5 years and keep them lubed and they work like butter. The best addition is the best blades you can find, I have a set of old sytle EPOs and they rock. The new carbon kevlar EPO are just boat porn. JMHO, Ricardo.



Edited by RicardOben on Feb 16, 2012 - 01:16 PM.

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Lake Perry KS
H-18
N-5.5 UNI +spin
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I am upgrading an older H18 using used components from a newer parts boat. The seller did not send me any gudgeons. I have moved the lower gudgeon up to use the existing upperholes as lower ones using the existing lower gudgeon. It's a snug fit, but the new style rudder casting does fit ok like this. I'm reluctant to drill and tap the new upper holes though, since if Iam reading the upgrade digrams right, you are supposed to replace the lower gudgeon. Have any of you guys that have upgraded used the old ones? Why not?

John C - KY
1981 Hobie 18 - 2 of 'em...



Edited by John on Jul 13, 2013 - 06:35 PM.