|
WINTER is almost here but you would not think so from the great weather North Texas has been experiencing this year.
Hobie Cats are going to sit for a while as their owners take a break and enjoy the cooler months with family and friends. However, this time of year is an excellent time to visit with your Hobie Cat to remember all the exciting times you enjoyed flying a hull and hanging on the trapeze as your boat blasted across the water of your favorite lake. It is also an ideal time to look at getting your boat ready for next year’s sailing experience.
Hobie Cats do not demand much in the way of maintenance as the materials that are used to assemble them are designed to be used in demanding conditions, however if you are at all like me, you tend to drive your Hobie hard and expect it to continue to perform year in and year out.
For your Hobie to live up to this expectation it needs some help. One of the many checks you can make during this “off season” is to go over all your shrouds, forestays and trapeze lines looking for a broken strand or possible failure at a swage connection. Replacing a damaged shroud or forestay can save you from loosing your rig on the water.
Your sails are also very important for your Hobie cat’s performance so it is worth the time to inspect them for issues at the batten pockets, bolt rope and batten protectors, making sure that there are no rivets missing or screws loose (if you have screws) Your sails provide the horse power that drive the boat … a little time spent going over them and fixing what ever is wrong now will save you some distress in future.
The trampoline is another area for wear and tear. Inspect all the retaining areas of the tramp. Look for areas that may be wearing or about to fail. Remember that a stitch in time can save you buying a new tramp. Also the blocks and cleats need to be looked at for signs of failure … lubricate them and inspect for damaged bearings etc.
Inspect all of the running rigging, making sure that it is all in good condition with no chaffing or frayed sections. Mildew and mold can be removed from line in a bleach solution by leaving the line submerged for a couple of days. Make sure to flush the bleach solution from the line once the mildew and mold has been removed.
Check the rudders for signs of wear or cracking of the blades… inspect the castings and replace any sloppy fitting bushings and rudder pins. You should evaluate the amount of play in your rudders and if excessive install a rudder stiffening kit. Check the cams and springs and plungers for signs of wear…grease them if OK … replace them if worn
Remove the mast and all shrouds and forestay as well as any trapeze lines and carefully put the mast aside… remove the rudders and turn the boat upside-down supporting the hulls on 4 five gallon plastic drums or their equivalent placed at the appropriate positions to allow you to work on the bottom of the hulls (if required) As these boats are “beach cats” they get dragged over the “beach” on the local lakes and as these “beaches” as not usually the fine sandy ones the hulls take a pounding … by taking the time to evaluate the hulls and repairing them now you may be able to avert an issue on the water next year!
The time spent conducting these inspections and checks will pay off next sailing season as you will be enjoying the excellent spring sailing and not running around looking to fix your boat.
_________________ John A. Webster Mariner Sails Inc. http://www.mariner-sails.com
|
Login
Register
FAQ
