Hobie Forums
http://www.hobie.com/au/en/forums/

Teflon chips
http://www.hobie.com/au/en/forums/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=6225		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  kiwihobie [ Sun Feb 18, 2007 4:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Teflon chips
Hello all

We went to Lake Tarawera recently (near Rotorua in New Zealand) where we camped on the far side of the lake which has natural hot pools (good for warming up in when you've got cold in the lake) and usually beautiful conditions for waterskiing when it is calm or sailing when it is windy. It took about 90 minutes saling to get there.

Lucky for me it was windy every day so I introduced a whole lot of new people (who we were camping with) to the fun of sailing on a Hobie.

We were over there for 4 days and each night I'd drop the sails and pull the boat up on the beach. I found when I sailed back for the final time and dropped the mast (it had been standing for four days) that the Teflon chip in the mast base had ridden up the side and the mast was really just grinding away metal to metal.

I've noticed this other happening times, although not to the same extent because I've only been sailing for four hours or so. I'd imagine this is not what is supposed to happen. How do I get the Teflon chip to stay in the centre of the mast base and do it's job properly?
Author:  abbman [ Sun Feb 18, 2007 6:51 pm ]
Post subject: 
Look at this page on the hobie catalouge:
http://static.hobiecat.com/2010_archive/support/pdfs/06_33.pdf

Its on the lower right hand corner, the molded mast step bearing. It is black in color.
James
Author:  ericlcpa [ Wed Feb 21, 2007 12:47 pm ]
Post subject: 
abbman wrote:
Look at this page on the hobie catalouge:
http://static.hobiecat.com/2010_archive/support/pdfs/06_33.pdf

Its on the lower right hand corner, the molded mast step bearing. It is black in color.
James


I had one of these in my spares that came with the boat. Do you need to drill a hole in the center of the step to accept these bearings?

I store my boat mast up. When I dropped the mast for the season, I noticed that the bearing had slipped. Never thought to check it periodically. There is a lot of wear on the ball and cup now.
Author:  abbman [ Wed Feb 21, 2007 1:09 pm ]
Post subject: 
I'm pretty sure that you have to drill a hole. I've actually never used one, I just use the ordinary teflon chips. I like the design though and may end up getting myself one as well.

You definately want something in there. I've heard that all of the weight being placed on the ball and cup can actually fuse those two metals together, I'm pretty sure their both alluminum. The chip or bearing also helps with the mast rotation.
Author:  gree2056 [ Wed Feb 21, 2007 1:11 pm ]
Post subject: 
This might sound kinda redneck but there are lots of other things to use intstead of the teflon chip. I have used 1/2 a plastic golf ball, butter lid, piece of leather. They all worked great.... the leather actually was my favorite just because it was a little thicker and damped everything so it didn't clang around as much.
Author:  abbman [ Wed Feb 21, 2007 1:15 pm ]
Post subject: 
No, I don't think its redneck. It's better to have something in there I would imagine than to not have anything at all. I've heard of using pennies too.
Author:  Misfit [ Wed Feb 21, 2007 1:21 pm ]
Post subject: 
Last summer I used a penny in a pinch and also a small piece of a plastic milk jug.

Cory
Author:  tjp [ Wed Feb 21, 2007 1:59 pm ]
Post subject: 
Misfit wrote:
Last summer I used a penny in a pinch and also a small piece of a plastic milk jug.

Cory
The screw-top to a plastic bottle works great (say from a 20-oz or 2-liter) and you can usually find one anywhere (if you are desperate you can even scavenge a park trash-bin for one, or head over to the Kwik-E-Mart and get a Coke).
Author:  John Eaton [ Wed Feb 21, 2007 2:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Teflon chips
kiwihobie wrote:
How do I get the Teflon chip to stay in the centre of the mast base and do it's job properly?

This is the mod to the new bases (per Matt Miller)
Quote:
We also added a little "Chip Keeper" trick that Dan Ketterman had on his 16 for years. This is a series of indent (holes) around the cup. 6 little holes that the chip will squish into to lock it into place when compressed by the mast while sailing. This seems to lock the chip in place while trailering as well.

Use a small drill bit and put some shallow holes in the bottom of your base :)
Author:  kiwihobie [ Wed Feb 21, 2007 3:05 pm ]
Post subject: 
That sounds like a good idea John. Just need something rough for the chip to squash into and get stuck?
Author:  mmiller [ Wed Feb 21, 2007 4:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Chip Keeper
Chip Keeper

Works GREAT! One chip lasts a long, long time.
Author:  abbman [ Wed Feb 21, 2007 5:34 pm ]
Post subject: 
I like that idea. What size drill bit do you recommend. How deep do you drill?
Author:  Hobie Nick [ Thu Feb 22, 2007 10:17 am ]
Post subject: 
I made the mod to my H16 years ago and used a 1/8" bit. You only need to go about 1/16" deep after the entire drill point is below the surface. You are only trying to give the Teflon somewhere to deform to. It takes about 5 minutes for the mod.
Author:  abbman [ Thu Feb 22, 2007 11:52 am ]
Post subject: 
Thanks, I'm definately going to do that one.
Author:  kiwihobie [ Thu Feb 22, 2007 2:56 pm ]
Post subject: 
I'm going to do it to. Sure will beat fiding the teflon chip up the side of the mast cup, doing nothing, at the end of the day.
Page 1 of 2 All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
http://www.phpbb.com/