Rudder pintle

Kevin Mc

Kevin Mc

Active Member
I've noticed, looking at my own boat and pictures of others, that the rudder pintle pins aren't installed in the same direction - some are rigged such that the pin is pushed up to hang the rudder, and on the others the pin is pushed down. Mine's a "push down" configuration. I can't see that it makes a difference when sailing, though it may in ease of rudder installation. I suspect a "push up" arrangement is slightly easier. Any opinions out there? I'm thinking of swapping mine around just to see the difference.
 
If your're talking about the old style rudder, mine is with the threads on the pin, up, for ease in adjusting the tension. I would think it would be a real pain adjusting while in the water with the threads at the bottom. However, I have lost a couple of pins while trailering, so be sure to store extras in your car. I use the hardware store version, 89 cents for 1/4" bolt with wing nut.
 
New (current) style - see the pictures below.

push up.jpg
push down.jpg
 
Mine is push up. It's really easy to throw on with the rudder down. With the rudder up it's a little harder.
 
You guys are way over-thinking rudder pintles!! You use it twice per sailing day. It works both ways, up or down. BB
 
Sailkb said:
If your're talking about the old style rudder...I use the hardware store version, 89 cents for 1/4" bolt with wing nut.
Click to expand...
Perhaps a drop of melted nylon—from the melting of a nylon line—would help in keeping that wing nut from unintended loosening.
 
Well, I can't argue that I spend too much time tweaking and fiddling with my boat. It strikes me as odd that there isn't (or at least wasn't) a standard for assembling the rudder. I'm also surprised the class rules would allow such a flagrant variation in configuration.;)
 
The old ones, when the cheeks were metal where metal where oriented one way and the new ones with plastic cheeks are oriented the other way. It doesn't make a bit of difference as far as I can tell, and it can be fairly easily switched if you have a preference and patients to work with cerclips
 
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