Mast Step Repair -

Had the mast step pull up from the front cross beam. The stainless sheet metal screws pulled out. I modified it by adding some weld on the back corners and drilling through the tramp slot and putting a piece of aluminum with 2 1/4-20 stainless SHCS holding the back edge of the mast step down.

Being a machinist with a small home shop I would like to make a new mast step from 2 pieces with a hinge at the front. Anyone know where I could get hold of a piece of tubing for the front beam? I only need a piece about 4" long to digitize the shape and model it up.

By making it in 2 pieces it would wrap completely around the beam and not rely on some sheet metal screws to take the load when stepping the mast. I don't live on the water (45 minutes from South Padre) so the boat goes up and down every time I sail.

Not sure what type of Hobie you are working on. The mast step on a H16 is not anchored to the front cross beam with screws but with 3/16" x 1/2" panhead SS rivets.

The mast base and mast step were designed to be under compression when sailing NOT tension from improper mast stepping. You have to make sure that the ball of the mast base NEVER rides up on the forward lip of the mast step when stepping the mast. If someone is helping you step the mast have them make sure that the ball on the bottom of mast base stays above the socket of the mast step. If stepping the mast solo, use the push/pull method (top hand pushing the mast up (from the shoulder position) and the other hand pulling the lower section of the mast backwards). This method will make sure that the mast base's ball always lands in the mast step properly. Also make sure you are using the H16 hole of your mast step link for a H16 (and not the H14 hole). I use a Phillips screwdriver to pin the mast step link to the mast base. The handle of the Phillips screwdriver and tapered point make it easy to put it in or pull it out. Also, the bright colored handle makes it harder for you to forget to install it (before stepping) or remove it (after stepping).

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

But in the real world, a 1982 Hobie has been used a bit over the years. Apparently it had pulled loose a at some point in the past and someone had fixed it with stainless sheet metal screws, and they have now worked loose. I am looking at a fix that will take the wear and tear of a trailerred, rather than a beached 16. My mast has to go up and down every time I go out as I do not have the pleasure of living on, or near the beach.

kf2qd, I had an 82H16 until 3 years ago and now have "upgraded" to an 84H16. On both of these boats I replaced the mast step and base (to get more mast rake and since the rotation stops were worn down).

I normally sail solo (71 yrs old) about 1-2 times per week year around and have always trailered my boats. In the last 15 years, I probably have solo stepped my mast at least 1400 times.

As I said earlier, do not use screws on your mast step, only use SS rivets (with new holes into solid metal of the mast step and front crossbeam) and be careful when you step the mast each time.

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

An alternative (assuming you have a metal lathe) would be to remove the dolphin striker post from the bottom of the mast step. Then cut longer threads at the top of the post so the threads extend below the bottom of the crossbar. Put a nut and washer on the post and reinstall it into the crossbar/mast step. The tighten up the new nut that you added at the top of the striker post so that it pulls the step down and keeps it compressed against the crossbar.

This of course would require a lot of work disassembling the boat, especially if parts are seized, but could eliminate the upward load on the mast step rivets.

sm