Any tips on sealing a mast?
Heinz

Hi Heinz.... come to the dark site... move to the Hobie 14/16 category within this forum. Both, the solo sailing and the sealing of masts have been discussed there.
In short... Identify the leak (most likely it is the foam plug under the mast top pulley) Drill out the rivets. Use a new foam plug if required or reseal (silicon) the old. After a good breakfast pop those rivets back in place (oh… use the sleeves to make the rivets watertight).

Patrick

Patrick,

What do you mean by "use the sleeves to make the rivets watertight"?
I've always wondered what the best way is to seal rivets other than smearing them with silicone...

Thanks

Jerry

"use the sleeves to make the rivets watertight" I guess it is not really accurate to say that the sleeve would make the rivet watertight but... The sleeves enclose the rivet. After the rivet has expanded water can only enter in that small area between sleeve and rivet. At least no water can enter the mast. The sleeve looks a bit like the metal cap at the back of a retractable pen. Check out the Murray catalog for a pic - I think I have seen them there.

Patrick

Thanks Patrick.

I've done some riveting and I think water can enter the mast both through the hole in the rivet and around the rivet (sleeve) itself. The back of the rivet is shortened/deformed by the pin which is broken off when compressing the sleeve. Sometimes it falls out altogether. Even if it doesn't there's no reason for the remnant in the rivet to keep water out. Also, even though rivets are fairly tight there's no reason why water can't leak in between the hole in the mast and the rivet. So I think the only way to waterproof a rivet is to silicone seal both the edges of the rivet face and the hole in the center of the rivet. I'm curious if you've had other experience.

Jerry

I have also seen a polymer patch placed over the area of the mast to be riveted to help create a seal between the mast surface the area around the rivet head. When the rivet is tightend the polymer is pinched bewtween the river head and the mast surface. I have still gone back and siliconed the rivets. Not pretty but it works.