Based on the overwhelming response, it looks like I will epxoy the frame. The hulls do have the red seam. The pilons have an "H" etched into them. From reading, it sounds like weight may have been added due to the reduced weight of the hulls with the red epoxy. Has anyone had experience removing this weight?
Never did hear any responses about experiences of getting the parts apart for replacement. Any experience?
Dan
Dan,
I've taken a couple Hobie's apart and they didn't go too bad. Remove the tramp and pylon bolts and use a rubber mallet, or a block of wood with a hammer to remove the corner castings. Often times they are stubborn to remove unless you have the hull in perfect alignment. If the casting is binding when you try to remove it, it's going to cause you fits. Just wiggle the hull up and down / side to side until you find the loosest position. Hope that makes sense.
Jack Hoying
Fort Loramie, Ohio
Dan,
I had an '84 that had several pounds of lead shot in the rear pylons underneath a plug of urethane foam. You need to take the standard foam plug out of the top of the pylon (it's not glued in, so it just pulls out). Look down the pylon - ordinarily you can see right to the bottom of the pylon. If you can't, and you see the brownish foam - use a long tool to chip away at it until you get to the lead. Be careful not to damage the "shoe" that the pylon rests in that connects it to the sides of the hulls.
I have the frame apart on my '85 Hobie - mostly to re-rivet the x-bars, to shim the pylons and to install the new tramp. My foam plugs looked kind of deteriorated and I decided to remove them. On my Hobie they seemed like they were siliconed in place - but not very securely. I found water (a few ounces) in each pylon. No loose lead in my pylons. The hulls were drained many weeks ago when the boat was used the last time. It seems like the opening in the pylon that allows the hulls to ventilate is drilled higher than the "shoe" that holds the bottom of the pylon so that water cannot drain back into the hull.
I would like to replace the pylon plugs - it looks like they are made from closed cell polyethylene (looks like Ethafoam) - IIRC other sailor used swimming aids (like aqua noodles) to plug the pylons.
Any other ideas that might work???
I used a piece from an aqua noodle (and lots of silicone) to re-plug the top of my mast, so I guess it would work. 