Mast step damaging mast base

Hi All,

I'm new to the forum and hobie 16 sailing. I purchased an old Hobie 16 (probably 1991) and have an issue with the mast step and base. After inserting a teflon bush inside the mast step and rigging the mast, the mast does not rotate freely. I first thought I was over-tensioning the jib, but even when the sails are off I struggle to rotate it. I then discovered that the stops on the mast step are digging into the base? Has anybody seen this before? It seems as if the ball on the mast base is too small or worn out, putting the mast in a lower position than usual.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Do you have a mast chip in there? Should be a bearing material which also raises the mast slightly. That and some additional mast rake would help.

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

What the heck are those extra (SS?) bits in there? Added by the previous owner? Might be (at least adding to) your problem?

_________________
Jerome Vaughan
Hobie 16

Agreed...you need a new step and base...someone has ghetto fabbed that one.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

_________________
1980 H16

Thanks guys. Appreciate the comments. Will be lowering the mast to take a close look. But I recon I'll be replacing both the step and base pretty soon

Definitely not stock. It looks like the original stops wore out and the PO rebuilt them with some stainless pins/bolts.

I bet the stainless parts actually would do a good job and hold up better than original. The only problem appears to be that the pins they put in the mast step are too tall and are digging into the mast base. I would just take an angle grinder to the step and knock it down 1/16" - 1/8" so there's enough clearance and see how it works. That would be a lot easier than replacing the mast base & step.

sm

Great Idea. Thanks. My other concern is why the step and base are so close to each other? I've had a look at others and the gap on theirs is definitely much larger. Even after trimming the SS, the two castings still seem to want to interfere once rigged.

Once again... do you have a bearing (Mast Chip) in place in the cup? It should have a disk of teflon in there. That raises the mast a bit too.

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

Yes. Its in

Your cup and or base may also be worn to the point that they need more (thicker) bearing in there.

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

You might also consider raking your mast back some by using the next lower hole on both of your shroud chain plates. This will create a larger gap at the front of your mast base/step.

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

I suspect that much. Will try a thicker one and see how it goes. Thanks for the advise

I can't see how that will help at this point. The photos you see are without the jib attached, so the mast is already as far back as it will go, and its still interfering. But I think I'll try the thicker bushing and trimming of the SS and see how it goes

You need a longer forestay. Add an additional 7 or 10 hole adjuster to get the mast back if the shrouds can go lower...

The basic rake idea is to have the main blocks nearly touch when sheeted hard... If you have low profile blocks you can rake further aft. This keeps the bows up and helps the boat sail to weather better. Your mast looks nearly vertical based on the pictures. New boats look like the mast is falling over / aft.

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

I did this to help with my rotation and the bearing was always wearing thru, put in a new bearing, raise the mast, rotate it, lower the mast and cut out the center of the bearing about the size of a nickel, put that in first then a new bearing on top. Now mine doesn't wear thru, and rotation is great, almost to easy if that's possible, I had to learn to be more careful on a gybe it moved so much better.

But I agree with the others, trim the studs down and rake, that really makes a great difference in the boat, or replace it when you can.