| Mast Torn at Base #96895 01/21/07 03:19 AM 01/21/07 03:19 AM |
Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 26 Mesa, Arizona RickInMesa OP
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Posts: 26 Mesa, Arizona | I'm rebuilding a 1972[?] Hobie 16. I noticed that the mast base was flopping around when I first stepped the mast. I removed the mast base from the mast and saw that both rear rivets weren't connected to anything--the base had fractured away from the rivet holes. So I ordered a replacement base.
Due to the flopping around (probably during stepping/unstepping), the two rivets at the front of the base have managed to tear the mast extrusion. :-( There is a portion of the aluminum at the front of the mast, between where the rivet holes are, that is dangling. It looks like I could pull it off with my fingers. The remainder of the mast extrusion isn't damaged. No part of the tear is progressing UP the mast, and there's no cracking around any other rivet holes.
My first thought was to saw off the bottom 3/4" of the mast. Then I thought about the sail geometry, shroud length, and other considerations. I would hate to ruin the boat, trying to have a solid mast base.
Since about 80% of the mast is undamaged, and I can drill new holes in good metal to attach my new mast base, should I just forget about the torn part?
Rick | | | Re: Mast Torn at Base
[Re: RickInMesa]
#96898 01/21/07 06:02 PM 01/21/07 06:02 PM |
Joined: Feb 2005 Posts: 4,118 Northfield Mn Karl_Brogger
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Posts: 4,118 Northfield Mn | Your best bet would probable be to just drill new holes, and re-rivet it. Maybe add another rivet or two, to keep the new holes away from where the worn rivets were located. cutting the mast down would probably be fine as well, but i don't know that you would have anything to gain. If the first repair fails, then try the second.
I'm boatless.
| | | Re: Mast Torn at Base
[Re: Karl_Brogger]
#96899 01/21/07 10:22 PM 01/21/07 10:22 PM |
Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 160 North Carolina abbman
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Posts: 160 North Carolina | I had to do the same repair on my mast. I just redrilled the holes in new locations. It's actually kind of a funny, all be it embarrassing story about the first time I ever stepped the mast. I had just bought my boat and my dad, who used to own a Hobie but sold it to help with medical bills as a result of my introduction to the world, and I were going to step the mast. Keep in mind he hadn't done it for 20+ years and I had very little knowledge of Hobie sailing or any sailing for that matter. I laid the mast on the tramp, connecting the mast step link, and he instructed me to begin raising the mast. Forgeting that it is always more than a good idea to connect the shrouds we began the lift. As the mast became almost vertical I heard a little "pop" and told my dad that I couldn't get the mast to stop. "It's falling!" Luckily he and everything else was out of the way and other that the rivets ripping through the bottom of the mast everything was ok. It was a pretty nice introduction to the design of this great boat as well as some good repair experience. If you can I would just re-rivet and be sure to do a leak test in the unfortunate event you go turtle. Good luck James
James 1983 Hobie 16'
| | | Re: Mast Torn at Base
[Re: abbman]
#96900 01/21/07 10:33 PM 01/21/07 10:33 PM |
Joined: Dec 2005 Posts: 321 Albuquerque NM Banzilla
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Posts: 321 Albuquerque NM | I had this same problem. I took a 2.5 in wide strip of galvizined sheet metal and rapped it around the base of the mast using JB weild to hold it in place drilled and re-rivited. Seems to be just fine.
[b] Sail Like you have a Pair
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