Hoist Technique:

Keep the batten tension to a minimum. Hoist the sail slowly, while feeding into the mast opening. When the sail gets about 3/4's of the way up, begin aggressively feeding at the bottom opening and reduce the amount of halyard effort. If the halyard is pulled tight when the sail is not being fed into and up the track, you will have problems. The sail luff will pull taunt and the curve shape will bind in the (straight) mast track. Lower the sail slightly and begin feeding again.

The best way to feed the sail is to stand in front of the mast and reach around either side to "sandwich" the sail between two hands (above the feeder opening) and push the sail up the track. Pull with the halyard, only the slack created, then feed again. If the sail binds, lower slightly and begin feeding again. This technique can be done by one person, but is certainly easier with two working together. It is VERY important that the person on the halyard only pulls the slack up the mast and does not get ahead of the feeder.

Locking the Hobie 14/16 halyard:

Once the sail is fully hoisted (be sure that the sail is fully inserted into the feeder). Pull the halyard forward of the mast by 3-4 feet. Hold the halyard on the centerline of the mast. Pull hard and hold the tension while bringing the halyard into the mast. Release the halyard tension and see that the sail remains fully hoisted. This seats a small bead, in the halyard, under a two finger prong "hook" and the top of the mast. If the sail slips down when downhaul tension is added, repeat the final hoist technique again. Be sure the bead is clear to pass the hook before pulling tension on the halyard.

This is a neew boat to me, it is the slug that just does not reach the hook on the mast. The mast is all aluminum. All the rigging was with the boat so I am assuming it is the right halyard. I did buy the sails seperatley off e-bay. I will rig it after dinner and tip the boat as ET Hobieguy has suggested and report back what I find. Downhaul was completley released so that is not it.

I wouldn't assume anything on a 1981 boat. Many older boats are collections of parts from many boats (mine is). So you are saying the sail goes all the way up to the mast head but the slug doesn't reach the catch? Your all aluminum mast should be using the wire halyard. The rope halyard is mostly rope with about 18 inches of wire at the end. The wire halyard uses about 10-15 feet of wire tied to another 10 or 15 feet of rope.