hi,
i just bought a hobie 16 this morning and drove it from atlanta to mobile, tried to rig it and was lifting the mast or trying, using a screw driver for a righting pin and half way up the metal on the base holding the screwdriver in gave way, the screw driver came out, the mast fell and hurt myself (who cares) but anyway, I can't put the mast up now. I am sure you can't 'weld' it, so what should I do ? Can one buy a new base ? any pin or screw you'd put in there would just come out. I only have 3 days here and I came to sail...

Place the mast close to the position for raising the and tie a line around the dolphin striker bar and then to something very low on the mast. If there is 3 people available have 1 on the tramp, 1 at the end of the mast and the other between the hulls in front of the mast base, as the person at the end of the mast starts to raise the mast the person between the hulls places the mast into the mast step on the front crossbar and holds it as the person on the end walks the mast up and the person on the tramp helps raise the mast. It can be done with 2 fairly strong guys but easier with 3.

i'll see if i can find some people to help me.
thanks

Just to clarify, what broke? the mast base on the bottom of the mast, or the mast step rivited to the cross-bar? Either way, best to replace whatever broke. Check out murrays.com and under Hobie factory parts you will find both.
Mast Step - $93.95
Mast Base - $54.50
Also, make sure you are using the mast step link pin to raise the mast, if you tried connecting them directly this could be the cause of the break. You will find the mast step link pin at murrays.com, it acts as a hinge when raising the mast, it remains connected to the mast step on the crossbar (I leave mine there permanently), but do not forget to disconnect it from the mast base once the mast has been raised. Some of the mast step link pins have a tension spring which causes the link pin to fold out of the way so that the mast can pivot in it's base without getting caught up on the link pin.


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TurboHobo
H14T
H16
P18
G-Cat 5.0
P16
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Hi Robert,
I used to live in Columbia...anyway the two holes in the mast step through which the mast step pin goes failed, the screwdriver i put in there released as i had the mast 3/4 of the way up, bounced off me and the ground. i once had a hobie 18 and i raised the mast by myself twice, but now that the pin holes are C's instead of O's so I can't do it alone. problem is i will never have help and i have to raise the mast each time i sail, so i think i should just sell it, though i will have to fix it first. i'll check murrays.
thanks

PS i did connect them directly, so STUPID STUPID, no wonder it broke. I am so STUPID.





edited by: ob2s, May 04, 2009 - 10:58 AM

I thought as much, it's all part of the learning curve. Check out my "build your own mast-step setup", under photo albums look for Beachcats Technical and you will find my post. I sail solo all the time so I had to find a way to raise the mast single-handed, this rig has worked for me very successfully and I hope it can be of help to you. You dont neccessarily need to use the square tubing I used, you could use round pipe instead. Just take my idea and build on it, makes sailing so much more enjoyable. You can't always take crew along just to help you raise the mast. Do yourself a favour, spend some money on replacing either the mast step or the mast base (or look/post under parts for sale/parts wanted), build yourself a mast step system (or have a friend build one for you if you're not technical), and put in some time sailing your cat, you won't regret it. Feel free to E-mail me with any questions.



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TurboHobo
H14T
H16
P18
G-Cat 5.0
P16
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In your situation with just 3 days left to sail, if your circumstances allow it, get as many people as possible to help you raise the mast and then leave it up. Like I said if your circumstance allow it, if your're able to leave the cat beached safely and securely then all you need to do is raise the sail to go sailing and in the evening lower the sail, wrap it around the boom and remove boom. If I was in your situation nothing is going to stop me from sailing. Otherwise check out if there's a sailboat store in the area and get what you need to sail, lol

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TurboHobo
H14T
H16
P18
G-Cat 5.0
P16
--

Related question: I've got a H16 and the rivets in the mast base have all broken the aluminum below them, so that without silicone sealant holding the base on it could just be pulled off of the mast .. it would take a decent amount of force, but I'm sure I wouldn't have trouble finding some good torque out on the water. Is it safe to use as it is? With the shrouds and forstay pulling down on the mast I'd think it would be really difficult for the base and mast to come apart, but it seems like on the off-chance that they did, it would be a really nasty situation. Any thoughts? Thanks

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Rob
OKC
Pile of Nacra parts..
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yurdle

the rivets in the mast base have all broken the aluminum below them, so that without silicone sealant holding the base on it could just be pulled off of the mast .. it would take a decent amount of force, but I'm sure I wouldn't have trouble finding some good torque out on the water. Is it safe to use as it is?

OMG NO!... if the rivets are gone... then the ball / mast can fall /rip off in a wave/tack/jibe/breeze, etc. you could also rip out the dolphin striker assembly... and ruin the front beam as well...

not to mention you could drop the mast on someone (or yourself) and kill them.

Andys right...... I had a dolphin assembly break on me when I was out sailin.... it broke the frame about 1/2 way, we wern't to far from shore and turned around to get back in, we made it in ok~~ beached it, then the mast came down... there ain't no stoppin it~~~ pretty fast surprise!!!!
FIX IT !!!!! and right too..

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~ Vietnam Vet 69-71~ 17 Hobie w/big jib, ~18 Hobie mag,~DN Ice sailor,
and other toys.......
~~ I live in NY state on the north shore of Oneida lake in
Bernhards Bay. ~~~~~~
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Last summer we were in the gulf of mexico about 10 miles away from home. my friends dolphin striker support bar (the V shaped bar under the beam) broke free (rusted) from the starboard side. With a loud POP.

He limped home... no jib, no downhaul, pointed very high... but he made it.

Ever since then,.... i NEVER pull the boat on my wheels by that bar.... i always grab the beam or somewhere else...

I helped a friend with the same problem last month. We dropped the mast, removed the mast base, took a hack saw (with a new blade) made a mark just above the old rivet holes and cut the mast there. Maybe it was 1/2 or 3/4 of an inch, resiliconed put mast base back in and reriveted. Just like new. Shortening the mast this little had no effect, I think we went down one more hole on the shroud adjuster after the repair.

HULLFLYER

I helped a friend with the same problem last month. We dropped the mast, removed the mast base, took a hack saw (with a new blade) made a mark just above the old rivet holes and cut the mast there. Maybe it was 1/2 or 3/4 of an inch, resiliconed put mast base back in and reriveted. Just like new. Shortening the mast this little had no effect, I think we went down one more hole on the shroud adjuster after the repair.

this is exactly what I planned to do. It's about 1/2 inch to the top of the rivet holes and there are two holes in the shrouds adjusters left to go so it shouldn't be an issue.

thanks


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Rob
OKC
Pile of Nacra parts..
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