Which Mast Bob ?

Spent an hour trying to right a turtled H16 last weekend, finally got it up with a boat pulling the righting line and someone on a Jetski lifting the end of the mast, which was full of water. Seems the best thing to do is get a Mast Bob. I see three on the parts list. I did a search on this forum but did not see a ready answer. Which mast bob should I get? Should I just get the biggest one?

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Pat Morra M.D.
1981 H16 56662 Cat Fever "Double Dose"

I wouldn't do a mast bob unless you were sailing and turtling in a shallow lake constantly...


Sealing the mast is MUCH more important. Just get one of these so you can pull the stainless rivets...

http://www.harborfreight.com/heavy-duty ... 66422.html


On your boat I would just refit the mast.. Drilling out all the rivet and installing them fresh with new caps available at your favorite hobie dealer, making sure to apply a fresh coat of silicon to the plugs at each end of the mast..

You COULD get by with dunking the mast in the lake or even better a pool and looking for the bubbles... But the rivets are cheap enough far as I am concerned compared to a leaking mast causing you to be unable to right the boat that on every older boat I have messed with it always seemed to pay to just do them all..

With a sealed mast I think you will find there is little need for a Bob.

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www.thehobiewayoflife.com

A sealed mast is in gact your best bet. But, for your own peace of mind si you can have fun and push your cat, go with the mast bob too until your skills improve and you feel don't need it. I had a baby bob on my H16s in the past and worked well. Did still manage a turtle once with it on but that was my fault for hanging on in disbelief during a pitch pole. Came up quick then though.

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'95 H16 sail #101148
'89 H18 SX/ sail #1053 w/ Yellow hulls

30115 Baby Bob

If you go that direction.

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Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Until you buy that Hobie Bob
OR
seal your mast,
consider buying two pool noodles, slit them lengthwise, slide one onto each shrouds, slide them up,
and using cable ties, secure them to the shrouds and the shroud shackle at the hounds.

Cheesy, but they do work.

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2015 H16, with spin,
SOLD 1989 Hobie SX18 Sail # 1947 "In Theory..."
'Only two things are infinite, the universe, and human stupidity. But I'm not sure about the former.'

Funny you mention pool noodles.
I actually used a 1 ft length to cover the base of my forestay at the bridles,
to protect the spinnaker from the sharp edges. I had to shave off the
edges so it looks a bit like a football, so that the spinnaker sheet does not get
caught up in it. Then taped it all up tight.
Thanks for all the replies.

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Pat Morra M.D.
1981 H16 56662 Cat Fever "Double Dose"

Matt, Is that the one that fits the All-aluminum mast?
On the parts list I see part numbers

30112
30113
30116 " Baby Bob"

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Pat Morra M.D.
1981 H16 56662 Cat Fever "Double Dose"

The baby bob is the same for both comp tip and all alum masts. Only the installation procedures differ due to the different mast heads.

30116 is a kit added that is 4 screws and instructions for the aluminum mast.

https://static.hobiecat.com/item_attachments/30116z52.pdf

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Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Scott from Sailsport Marine (http://www.sailsportmarine.com), has a good video on how to install a Baby Bob on an all-aluminum mast:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccRjMWEOy4g

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Tim
84 H16
82 H16
87 H14T
Tortola Sails: 115222
Blue Prism Sails: 88863
Clearwater, FL

Thanks everyone for your input.

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Pat Morra M.D.
1981 H16 56662 Cat Fever "Double Dose"

Well, Matt, Baby Bob was not the right one.
I have an all-aluminum Mast and so I would have to drill holes through
the masthead Casting which would mean through the flywheel for the Halyard.
I see two other Bobs, each have side-rods. Which is right?

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Pat Morra M.D.
1981 H16 56662 Cat Fever "Double Dose"

Its the right one. You slowly and carefully drill into the mast head and NOT through the sheave. The holes are then tapped for the 10-32 screws. I've done three aluminum masts and its easy if you take your time. Use a C clamp to keep the bob bracket from moving when you mark the holes. Also marking the holes with a center punch keeps the drill bit from "walking".

Used the same mast bob on an '84 h14t and h16 with same technique as above to mount them, it works. Just take your time drilling.

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'95 H16 sail #101148
'89 H18 SX/ sail #1053 w/ Yellow hulls

Shouldn't have to add this but.....don't drive the tap into the sheave either as they are very old and brittle. The mast head aluminum is not very thick so you don't need to go very deep with the tap. You are cutting only two or three threads into the metal.