I think I should have posted this here, and not on the open forum - hey I am new at this!!!!!!!

Anyhoot what is the best method for breaking down a Hobie 16? I am helping a friend replace his H16 front cross beam and we are having a dickens of a time tearing the boat apart. Are there any tricks? We have taken out all of the bolts, popped out all the rivets, saturated where the castings and extrusion meet with PB Blaster and started tapping on it – and no luck. I didn’t want to break out the ole 10 pound made in USA sledge before asking, and am somewhat cautious about the post that comes out of the hulls; we don’t want to do any damage there. Have been thinking about using a scissor jack with some 2 X 4’s in between, any ideas.

First Question: Is it possible that it has been epoxied together?

A Hobie 16 requires heavy blows from a sledge on a wood block or, I prefer, a dead blow (Sand filled mallet... a big one.) You have to wack the heck out of them. I sometimes have to swing a sledge pretty hard to get them apart.

The post is very solid in the hull.

We hope not, that would not be legal would it?

Thanks Matt - will do

It is class legal to glue the boat together. It is possible to get them apart after, but it takes a lot of work - and gentle use of a torch.

yesterday we were successful in getting th boat apart with out having to have break out the ole sledge hammer.

Using a bottle jack, a few 4X4's with some earthquake straps and some 2X4 braces (to keep the lateral tourqu in place) we had no issue in getting the boat apart.

After riging everything and a few pumps on the jack - presto, the boat came apart.

As for the epoxy part, I read that it is OK to do this, and that may be consodered. If we don't, we are going to emry all of the corrosioin on the castings and extrusion amd use some anti size when reassembling.

Thanks, and if you want a pick of the rig let me know.

I give the post and corner casting a painted on coat of epoxy when glueing.Assemble,then turn over the boat,square it up, and drip epoxy into the voids. It takes some time but they fill up nice and the boat stays tight. My theory is that the coating helps prevent the metal to metal corrosion. The casting then can be heated and the boat will come apart with a dead blow hammer as Matt M. said. I have more trouble taking apart old unglued boats then the ones I've glued.
Take a kid out sailing. I hope all you 16 guys are coming to the Madcatter.

I have had good luck using a rubber mallet and wood 2X4 to separate.