What is the best method for breaking down a Hobie 16? I am helping a friend replace his H16 front cross beam and we are having a dickens of a time tearing the boat apart. Are there any tricks? We have taken out all of the bolts, popped out all the rivets, saturated where the castings and extrusion meet with PB Blaster and started tapping on it – and no luck. I didn’t want to break out the ole 10 pound made in USA sledge before asking, and am somewhat cautious about the post that comes out of the hulls; we don’t want to do any damage there. Have been thinking about using a scissor jack with some 2 X 4’s in between, any ideas.
I have always had Prindles and a NACRA, and have never taken one of these apart - seems very involved.
the frame could be epoxied together... in which case you'll have a "dickens" of a time getting them apart.
If you go brute force, I've found that a big tree, some high-strength line, and an SUV to work the best in situations like that.
If there is epoxy then use a propane torch to heat up the corner castings. Get a dead blow hammer and work front then back evenly. Have someone sit on the hull and hammer up on the corner casting. It will come apart, but may take a while.