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| Hobie 17 - fixing leaking wingtubes http://www.hobie.com/au/en/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=60154 |
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| Author: | mats_c [ Wed Mar 22, 2017 12:48 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Hobie 17 - fixing leaking wingtubes |
Hi all, On my HC17 two out of four wingtubes are leaking. The holes looks to be half way in the tubes. I intend to make an attempt fixing the leakage without cutting big holes and install inspection ports. i've read some instructions about this method and i will give it a go. I have sanded the holes with a drum sander connected to a power driller. All is set for the next step BUT...; What do you guys think? Shall i use epoxy or polyester resin? Any recommendation on the type of glass fiber? Please give me pros and cons for what to use?? //Mats |
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| Author: | MBounds [ Wed Mar 22, 2017 8:41 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Hobie 17 - fixing leaking wingtubes |
Use epoxy - it's stronger and sticks better than polyester. Since it's inside the tubes, you're not concerned with cosmetics. For the glass, just use 2" (~50 mm) wide tape - like this: https://www.jamestowndistributors.com/u ... glass+Tape. After the resin cures, sand off the high spots and use a piece of plastic pipe to test fit for the wing tubes. Keep sanding until the tube slides in and out easily. |
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| Author: | srm [ Thu Mar 23, 2017 3:03 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Hobie 17 - fixing leaking wingtubes |
If it is the front tubes, I would just go ahead and install the access ports. Having access to the inside of the hull will allow you to put a full wrap of glass around the tube which will provide a very strong repair. You would also be able to reinforce the front of the centerboard trunk where the spring has a tendency to punch through. Plus the access ports will provide you with some excellent on the water storage inside the hull and they will allow you to fully ventilate the hulls after sailing. sm |
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| Author: | Aria di Mare [ Fri May 14, 2021 12:20 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Hobie 17 - fixing leaking wingtubes |
Hi Guys, To fix my leaking wingtubes I have to work from "outside" of the hull and "inside" of the wingtubes themselves. Reason: previous owner placed, through the portholes, fiberglass layers over layers around each wingtube making bundles and a real mess! My plan: A. to sand and B. to cover the inside walls of each wingtube with West System epoxy. Then, C. I would insert a mold and leave to cure. Note: The mold would guarantee the acceptable internal diameter of the wingtubes to perfectly accommodate the aluminum tubes of the wings. My mold is a perfect cylinder with diameter 49.3 mm. (1.94 inches or 1 15/16") My mold enters inside each wingtubes by 10 cm. only. Situation is the same for the 4 wingtubes. Questions: A. What is the correct internal diameter of each wingtube? B. Are the wingtubes perfectly cylindrical or slightly conical? THANK-YOU, Fernando |
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| Author: | MBounds [ Mon May 17, 2021 5:05 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Hobie 17 - fixing leaking wingtubes |
The tubes are cylindrical, not conical. There's a radius on the end of the tube that matches the ends of the wings. Your internal diameter is may be too small. We use a piece of 1½" Schedule 40 PVC pipe as a "sizer" when doing tube interior repairs. The inside is sanded with a 1" drum sander on a drill bit extension until the sizer can easily be inserted and removed from the wing tube. The actual outside diameter of 1½" Schedule 40 is 1.90 inches (48.26 mm). 49 mm may not provide enough clearance between the wing and tube. The clearance between the tube and the wing is critical. If it's too tight, you will not be able to remove the wing due to suction. Too loose and sand and other debris may get in. I'd err on the side of making it a little larger. |
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| Author: | ChuckC [ Tue May 18, 2021 8:45 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Hobie 17 - fixing leaking wingtubes |
I did the "mold" thing; not as easy as you might think. Doesn't end real neat without some sort of vacuum approach. I made a straight tube, wrapped with thick mylar and mold release. Epoxied everything up, made sure it would slide in easily/snugly, and then had a bit of a time getting it back out next day. Came out with a little struggle; it was tight. I didn't use much cloth at all; maybe 1 layer of 6 ounce weave. It was too much; I ended up drum sanding most of it away. Lots of sanding and vacuuming... It came out much better accessing from inside the hulls. The tolerances are already tight; I THINK mine was 2.0 inches+1/8, leaving a 1/16 all the way around. This is on my H21SE, which has probably bigger wings, MAYBE. That 1/16 is about nothing to be able to use when you're talking epoxy coatings. Another option is to put a VERY light vacuum on the hull and paint just the epoxy in without glass. I think I read somewhere this worked. Still, it does not address the crack in the fiberglass reinforcement of the tube wall and it will fail again. Been there, done that. I need to check the statement about 1.5" schedule 40 pipe being 1.90" - I know that's true because I recently bought a stick of 1.5" aluminum 6061 T-6 pipe to make a longer axle for my cattrax. Worked FANTASTIC. Have some left over and will check the fit: I can, actually replace just those legs of my wings with that slightly smaller diameter tube, getting them bent on a standard, hydraulic pipe bender... THAT would give you a little more room to work from the outside and POSSIBLY slide in a thin-walled tube/sleeve and completely sleeve the socket. Still, you need that 1/16th all the way around just to get these things in and out - the slop is a must. |
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