So I got the boat all tuned up the season, had a couple great sails, then the derecho storm June 29 deposited a large limb on my port hull and sidebar. Crunch! I found nearby and bought an oldie (1984) with solid hulls, no soft spots for parts and replaced the hull and side bar. Put it all together, tightened the tramp, and then lifted the hulls to test for stiffness. The boat seems decently stiff, but the "new" port hull creaks whenever I lift and lower it. At first I thought the creak might be the pylon, but it is definitely coming from INSIDE the hull. I talked to someone who just told me that lots of hulls creak, but I am concerned that I cannot see the cause. Does anyone have any knowledge or experience with this? Has the pylon structure possibly separated from the hull inside? Has anyone seen a hull fail for this reason? Thanks for any input.

It's probably coming from the corner casting and just resonating through the hull so it sounds like its coming from inside.

If it is coming from inside, screw it, sail it to failure. H16 hulls are common as you can get. Fixing it world be more effort, (and more expensive if your time is worth anything to you), than replacing it with another hull.

Creaking is usually at the frame/pylon connection and will eventully go away with wear. In my experience, a loose pylon shoe makes more of a deeper thump sound, and I'm not sure you'd hear it just from lifting a hull (would need more stress like being underway). If you hear a deep thump every time you tack, prepare for a pylon shoe repair:

http://2010.archive.hobiecat.com/hobieclass/eHCA_Hotline09-10_2009.pdf

Keep an eye on it.....a loose shoe will eventually start busting through the inboard or outboard side of the hull.

Thanks for the info guys. Does not seem like a loose pylon shoe at this point, but good to know about that. I had her out yesterday, she sailed well in moderate winds, she creaked only on the downwind legs. But she can creak! We will work her up to stronger winds.