The mast step on my Hobie 16 needs to be replaced. One of the holes for the step hinge is broken, and there is a crack forming at one of the rivet holes. I have an entire front crossbar from a parts boat with a good mast step on it. My question is whether it would be easier to replace the bad step with the good one or just replace the entire front crossbar. Both require some labor, but I've never dealt with the step and dolphin striker assembly.

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Josh Pepper
Hobie 16
Madison, MS
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You're right, it is 6 of one, half dozen of the other. The dolphin striker post is screwed into the base and is impossible to unscrew (stainless on aluminum). It would probably be easier to take the base and dolphin striker post off of the other beam and put it on your boat's beam. That way, you don't have to take the boat apart and/or unlace the trampoline.

The trick is to drill out the rivets on the base first so you can change the angle of the dolphin striker 'wire'. That 'wire' that passes through the castings and is threaded usually moves pretty easily, but you may need to hit it with a hammer a few times to loosen it. You need to be careful to not peen the end of the wire because it will destroy the threads. Use two nuts that you can screw onto the end of the threaded part and leave one of the nuts about halfway off of the wire. That way, the nut gets sacrificed and you don't have to chase the threads.

Josh, the problem you will inevitably encounter is that the rivet holes in the donor mast-step, will not line up with the rivet holes in the cross-beam, these holes are always hand-drilled, all are custom, usually 3 holes front and 3 holes rear. And inevitably when trying to line up the holes they will get over-sized by drilling. You can compensate by using over-sized rivets.

http://www.thebeachcats.c…ictures/?g2_itemId=12223

It might actually be less work to just remove entire tramp-frame from pylon posts, 4 bolts lock frame onto posts and can be encouraged off with a 5lb sledge-hammer using 2X4 wood to protect beams. Then switch tramp-frame with donor boat. Just another suggestion (JAS)

Try looking into the Catamaran Technical Tips, you will find this section under the Photo Album Tab up top, many members post their solutions to problems they have encountered in this section, and usually you can find an answer to your problem located there..........

It is much easier and faster to replace the front crossbar.