More wing tube notes:

The 17 was originally designed to be as light as possible, but being a Hobie, being sailed by lots of different types of sailors, it had to be modified over the years to make it stronger. The tubes were one of these areas. We added more glass around them sometime in the 90's when it was being marketed as the Sport. But, Freezing water can crack anything. In addition partially inserted wings that get loaded can crack them as well as forcing the wings in or out of the sockets. Usually by forcing one end in more than the other. That is a very long lever arm from the front to the rear of a wing.