Posted: Jun 18, 2014 - 02:27 PM
I've seen the workings of a brazillion Hobie 16s, and never once have I seen anyone mold anything in the lower casting in front of the rudder blade. It's surely overkill and may lead to unintended negative consequences.
Shims in the castings are common (and desirable if there's room in there for 'em).
That said, while it may "feel" better, I honestly don't think a little slop in the rudder system affects performance significantly. If the frame and tramp aren't good and tight, these little tweaks aren't going to help much. Rudder alignment and rake are next most important.
To get rid of all the slop, you'd need to renew/replace/shim/tighten the hiking stick/crossbar connection, crossbar/tiller connections, tiller/casting connections, pin holes in castings, pins, pin holes in gudgeons, etc. Then the system would probably be all bound up.....if you could even reassemble it.
Edited by rattlenhum on Jun 18, 2014 - 02:39 PM.
--
Jerome Vaughan
Hobie 16
Clinton, Mississippi
--