Hello and Mast/Rivet question

Hi, I'm a new 16 owner, sailing in Ireland. I've been competitively racing a Laser for about 5 years, and an optimist before that but wanted something a bit more fun and thought a 16 looked like the right job! Had a 15 before and had plenty of fun with it!

Anyway, down to business. My new boat comes with a bent mast which has all the gear attached and a new 'blank' mast which has the holes pre drilled but none of the bits attached. I've got to remove them from the bent one and attach them to the currently blank one... Any tips? I've read on here about sleeves for the rivets to prevent water leaking into the mast, are they essential? would silicone over and around the rivets do the trick?

Any other comments on this job or on sailing/owning a 16 in general would be greatly appreciated!

David

I believe the sleeves are called rivet casting and do use fresh, high quality silicon sealant.You get the best seal with the sealant in compression not merely on the surface.Maybe even use 3M 5200 polyurethane adhesive/sealant instead of silicon.
I think that Hobie uses open end stainless rivets with a steel mandrel because a stainless mandrel( somewhat brittle) tend to shear before completely set and a steel mandrel is not as brittle and will set tighter.
I like to use closed end rivets that are stainless/stainless because I don't like that rusty pin look and the mandrel is retained 100% of the time which is probably why Hobie uses those rivet casting to retain the mandrel and improve the water integrity.I also use those rivet sleeves too.If you use a stainless rivet with a stainless mandrel,you will need a very good rivet gun that can truly set that stainless mandrel rivet after rivet without stripping the rivet gun's jaws.
Do some research first... Bill 404 21 SE

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Bill 404 21SE

I believe the sleeves are used to prevent galvanic reaction (leading to corrosion) between the aluminum and the steel rivet, which is especially would be worse in salt water conditions.

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Bruce

Hey David. Welcome to the club. You definitely have to use rivet caps WITH a dab of silicone. Don't use 5200. The rivet caps go under the hardware directly into the mast extrusion.

This might help:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9Af7Q58FRk[/youtube]

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Sail Revolution
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Good video. I just want to add that if you buy that crappy Arrow brand rivet gun from Home Depot, you'll find that the rivets are not only "hard" to set as Jeremy has said. You'll destroy the jaws on the gun and it'll be worthless from then on out. Buy a decent gun capable of setting stainless rivets. Home Depot doesn't sell a decent gun.

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1984 H16 - #80541

This is looking like a bigger job than I'd thought it would be...! Thanks for the replies, they were all very helpful!

I've been thinking about this a good bit and will using the rivet sleeves require me widen the holes in the mast...?

So THATS why all my Arrow rivet guns are crap!! Too strong rivets?!! Who knew? I guess I should call the president of Arrow and take back all those mean things I said...

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Blair T

I love these calm moments before the storm, it reminds me of Beethoven...


'02 Hobie Tiger USA 1152

If there were rivets sleeves in there before, no. The rivet sleeve requires an 15/64" hole...slightly larger than the 3/16" that the rivet themselves require.



Yep JRagg's right, cheapo rivet guns are only good for around 20 rivets, then they're done.

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Sail Revolution
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This is the rivet gun you want: http://www.harborfreight.com/heavy-duty ... 66422.html

It's recommended time and again on this forum, and by Jeremy too, I believe (right Jeremy??). I have this one it and it makes all rivet work a snap.

Hope it helps!

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'81 H16

If it ain't a blowin', I ain't a goin'

WARNING - RUSTY RIVETS

I just installed new monel rivets from Hobie. All the mandrels are rusting. After a few days in a salt water environment, this is very ugly. Sealing the ends will not stop the rust from bleeding out from the inside. The bags of the unused rivets show that the mandrels are all magnetic. It will be costly to drill them out and to remove the rusting mandrels floating around inside the extrusion.

My local autobody shop let me use their "Big Daddy" riveter to install them