Well we did a good bit of sailing in gulfshores and did not break anything.... well.... except for jamming the hotstick.

Ive tried soaking it in freshwater and it does not twist. Anyone have any sugestions..... its extended about halfway out (or in depending on how you look at it). Once it locked into place it has not moved.....

Thanks
Todd Hubbell

If you have access to a pool, go swimming with it. You'll have to get it to move even if it's just a little. Once it starts moving keep working it until it's clean and fully functional.

If it's not a victim of sand or other debris, then you'll just have to muscle it, make sure you're going the right way.

don't twist too hard.... you could end up cracking the seam.... have you tried hitting it on the gound to try and push it back together....

I havent hit it on the ground yet ..... I going to try the pool idea and then add the hitting idea as time goes on.

T

i have had mine lock up and a few good smacks freed it. Afterwards i removed the handle and pumped it a few 100 times in a bucket of soap water (i did it in a 5 gal water bottle to avoid making a mess).. it was good as new afterwards.

After you get it moving in the pool. Line up the little hole with the little pin and push the pin out to disassemble it. That's the best way to guarantee you get all the sand out. Shoot it with some McLube after ya clean it ,than re-assemble.

Cuss & swear at it.. I did it to mine, it didn't do a damm thing~~ but I felt better.... <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Do what the other guys said. Thats what I did..... <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Soaked in the pool for about 2 hours and tried to make it move.... no luck.... lots o cussing and I did feel better but the stick is still stuck.....


Fever.... What little hole and what little pin? it all looks solid to me.

Todd

Try the jacuzzi instead of the pool. I had to use boiling water on mine after exhausting the above mentioned procedures. Maybe the heat expanded the fiberglass enough to allow debris to drop out.

OK, I got it. I know this will solve your problem:

First, build a fire, then throw the old hotstick in. Then get out your credit card and visit this site's OnLine Store and order yourself a new one.

Unless you make minimum wage, the amount of time you've spent on the old stick would have bought you a new one.

If it's an Arriba,You have to get it moving, fully shorten it. Rotate it as far as possible like your going to extend it. There should be a small(1/16") hole at the end(it maybe under the rubber sleeve) and if you move it around a little you should see a stainless pin.Push the pin through and when you extend the stick it won't stop at the end, it will come apart.
Hope this helps.

todd,

what sort of hot stick is it?

Can you take a picture?

Some you can take apart by removing a pin at the top or bottom.

Faced with same problem I remember drilling hole in bulb end to facilitate the rinse. This was some time ago though.

Regards
Chet

I would assume that most likely you either have sand trapped in between the two halfs or you accidentally twisted the lock too hard.

I've never tried this before, but here's something you might try if you think there's sand inside- Assuming it's an Arriba Hotstick, then the non-yoke end (i.e. the end you hold) should have a rubber grip on it. Remove the grip (actually they usually come off anyway) so that the inside of the stick is exposed. Then take a garden hose and hold it right up to the open end and flush. Perhaps have someone attempt to rotate the stick at the same time.

Otherwise, you might try locking the yoke end to a bench vice and just trying to rotate it that way (perhaps with another person assisting).

sm

Surprised no one has brough this up yet...

Do a search on this site. There is a guy (I think he owns Arriba) that will repair them. All reports I've read have been positive.

Every time mine have been stuck, I've been able to take them into the water (at least knee-deep) and submerge the whole thing and just keep working it until it breaks free. Once it breaks free, go into deeper water (to be sure you're not taking in any more sand) and keep working it to get all the sand out that you can. Following up with a hose and soap is also a good idea.

Good luck.

Mike