Keeping the rudder from falling off

[robverb]

My Daysailer II had a small plastic device on the transom to keep the rudder from coming out while under way. I had to remove it because it was broken and I'd like to put something in place so I don't lose my rudder.

I've seen other boats with a metal tab that you press in to put the rudder on and take it off and would ideally like to install something like that. Does anyone know what these things are called and where I can get them?

[K.C. Walker]

The rudder stop at the bottom of this page is what I have on my boat http://www.dwyermast.com/items.asp?cat1 ... r+Fittings. It's not what you had in mind but at least you get a name for it.

KC

[GreenLake]

K.C. forgot to mention how this tab works. You screw it in the transom above the top gudgeon and it will swing down, blocking the top pintle from coming up. To remove the rudder, you rotate it out of the way.

My DS has that, but it also has a springy leaf that holds against of of the other fittings. Having both may be overkill, but better safe than sorry.

The bottom of the leaf is screwed to the backside of the rudder. As you lower it past the upper gudgeon, it slides past and then snaps against the pintle. It offers some resistance to pulling up the rudder, but mine pulls free if you pull moderately hard on it, so having the tab as well is a good idea.

You find a picture of a spring stop here: http://schaeferhardware.com//SearchResu ... goryID=232

[persephone]

Another option,
My javelin (same rudder) had a hole through the bottom of one pintle, and a safety clip that you would put in. A little more difficult that the spring tab, but fail-proof. Here it is.

http://www.drmarine.com/proddetail.asp?prod=DS126

[seandwyer]

Why not take the pintle you currently have for a trip to the drill press, then buy a safety pin for 75 cents?

[robverb]

Thanks to everyone who replied. Having the name (rudder stop) was all I needed to track it down. (I found it at West Marine).