Funny that is just one of the reasons why I like it.

The nacra cleat system afterwhile wears out and the line starts slipping and draggy the blades. But as with many things on my boat; I've done a few things differently than the stock designs.

For example I have pintles with a little whole in the top that takes a ring. I don't have the snap on system. Ergo My stoock can never come of their pintles unless someone has forgotten to place back the ring after fitting the stocks.

Also my (new) rod seem to me to be more rubust than on the older Taipans. I don't see it break any time soon. The diameter is too large for that. I also think it is a tube rather than a rod now. This new rod is standard on the Taipans since 2002 I believe.

Also I have a M8 or bigger adjustment threading on my rod. So I (and everybody) else can adjust to the required length within a minute). Jennifer had trouble with the locking nutt coming undone but I fix this with a bit of self galvanising rubber tape. I have no such problems. I do hear that McKenzies rudder rods use a M6 threading that can bend during kick-up action. I will contact Tony and notify him of that. But this is an issue with the implementation of the rod system, not a fundamental issue with the system itself. Again I have a M8 or M10 threading there and "That ain't gonna bend" ! So Robi, I think this may be your problem.

Also kicking up when coming on to the beach. This is a good way to shave down the tips of your rudder blades. Luckily with the AHPC stocks I have I don't have to do this. The rudderblade jams a little in the stock on the forward edge. When approaching the beach I just reach back grap the rod in the middle and lift it out of the locking hole. Than I through it back over the blade in the water. The rudder stays in the stock even at speeds of some 10 miles and hour. So I can steer properly throught he surf (and we do have significant surf over here !) and as soon as a tip hits the ground the rudder blade unjams and floats up. Works great, much better (in my experience) than any Prindle, Nacra or Hobie setup. With prindle setups I always felt like the locking mechanism could take the pintles off when not perfectly adjusted. Bend rudder pins were often the result.

Now I do my fair share of shallow water sailing and surf sailing. They last thing I want are trailing rudders or ones that are only partly down.

Now, I'm not saying that your systems aren't giving you lots of troubles, you guys know best. However I am saying that I got the same rod system (with a few difference to your systems) and mine just operates just fine.

You know as with everything, a builder needs to design things properly. The difference between a well designed Hobie system and a well designed Rod system can be really small, however the differences between badly designed ones can be really big.

All I'm saying here is that the Rod system appears to me like it can be made to work really well. So the problems are not the intrisic property of the system used but of the particular implementation.

Wouter