I botched a rivet job second to last rivet on my Hobie 16 traveler track. All the rest are good. I’m kind of done fighting it, can I just go sailing?

Sure, just keep the traveler centered and you’ll be fine.

Seriously though, one bad rivet is probably nothing to be concerned about, especially at the end of the track. Sheeting loads are typically much lower when traveled all the way out (i.e., broad reaching).

sm

jalex

I botched a rivet job second to last rivet on my Hobie 16 traveler track. All the rest are good. I’m kind of done fighting it, can I just go sailing?

Details?
Will drilling out and a bigger diameter rivet help?

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Sheet In!
Bob
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Prindle 18-2 #244 "Wakizashi"
Prindle 16 #3690 "Pegasus" Sold (sigh)
AZ Multihull Fleet 42 member
(Way) Past Commodore of Prindle Fleet 14
Arizona, USA
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The rivet is sort of cockeyed and half pulled, so a straight drill out will be hard. I’m really ready to get it back on the beach, never know how much you miss the garage till it’s got something in it. Actuallly I just did the epoxy frame job to stiffen it so I’m going to do a few test sails to see how she does. Stiff I keep her, loose she goes on Craigslist. So I don’t want to put too much work in her yet, not that a single rivet is much work

Quote

so a straight drill out will be hard.

a straight drill out would suck by hand on any rivet

I was taught to go very slow, use lube, a new or sharpened bit and angle the drill as much as i can with out it slipping off
and then i rotate around the rivet head and clockwise then counter ... working the rivet head off.. not the center
when the rivet "head" finally breaks off ... i use a small punch and knock it into the .... whatever it was riveted to

back to the question
IMHO:
go sail but I would fix it eventually



Edited by MN3 on Nov 07, 2018 - 07:25 PM.

Assuming we're talking about the main traveler track.....If the bad rivet isn't interfering with the traveler car, I wouldn't worry about it, but there's very little clearance there. If it damages the car, you'll be spending even more coin and doing a lot more drilling and reriveting! As a temporary measure, you can tie a stopper knot in the traveler side of the mainsheet to prevent the car from reaching the bad rivet. It's common practice to tie such a knot that stops the car just short of the corner casting so the car can't slam into the casting in a heavy air jibe (and explode!).

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Jerome Vaughan
Hobie 16
Clinton, Mississippi
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