Hobie 18 inspection port replacement and dolphin striker.

Hey guys! So my 1978 hobie 18 is in the process of a complete do over and im in the process of ordering all my parts having just finished fixing soft spots. I just ordered the replacement screw in 6" inspection port (V1145). I didnt order the kit cause i already have the marine sealant, but, im still needing to get the rivets to mount it. Do you guys know what size these are? and second, my dolphin striker post doesnt sit firmly against the front cross bar. When the shroud wires are tight and the forestays tight it touches, but when the mast is off it doesnt. Is this normal? or should i re rivet it? Third, Thank you guys at hobie so much for posting the delamination repair and rudder drilling guides online! It saved my boat!! Whoever owned it last drilled the rudders completely wrong... so i filled in the holes, painted them, re drilled them and now they are perfect!

Thanks!

P.S. My shroud wires are the original 32 year old ones and ive heard of these snapping... should i replace them?

You should use number 10-24 or 10-32 machine screws to install the port holes. Either stainless steel or nylon hardware and don't forget to use washers. The machine screws will give you more control over the pressure placed on the port hole assembly. Plus if you ever need to replace the cover or just re-silicone, screws are easier to remove than rivets.

The mast step should be firmly seated on the front crossbar. It is normal for the step to loosen up over time, but it really shouldn't be sailed this way. If your boat is 32 years old, it probably has the original 2-rivet mast step. All the newer boats have a 4-rivet mast step. You should consider upgrading. Be sure to use stainless steel or monel rivets when you do the install.

Unless you only plan on sailing in 5mph of wind or less, I would highly recommend that you replace all your wire rigging. At 32 years old, it's way overdue. This would include your shrouds, bridle wires, upper & lower forestays, and shroud anchor bolts. It ain't cheap, but it'll give you peace of mind.

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It doesn't take strong winds to fail wires. Just having the possibility of the mast falling over while on the beach or in a parking lot should be enough of a concern to prompt wire replacements. Its not just an inconvience issue when wires fail on the water, its a safety issue for you and those around you if the mast hits someone or leaves you stranded on the water.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Okay thanks for the replies guys! Another question, in the hobie catalog they sell a swagging tool along you to crimp your own wires. Does this mean that you can trust home made shroud and forestay wires? Just wasnt sure if Hobie was encourage this or not when providing this tool.

Oh and also, which rivets do i want to get for the mast step/ dolphin striker post?

Material - Stainless steel or monel (definitely not aluminum, it's not strong enough). 3/16" diameter, about 1/2" long. If you're replacing the mast step assembly to upgrade to the 4-rivet step, they may be included in the kit, I'm not sure, check with your Hobie dealer when you order the part.

You can pull these rivets with a basic Home Depot type hand rivet gun, but it's very difficult. Takes a lot of hand strength. If you have access to a powerful rivet gun you'll be much better off.

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Thanks for the input! Okay next question(sorry to be so off topic but i thought this was better than starting a new thread) Does anyone know what the best way to paint the mast and cross bars is? Searching around i found that someone used spraypaint.. but that seems like only a temporary solution. Im look for something relatively simple with minimal prep work... yet something that will hold up to the weather. What kind of paint does hobie use?

First of all, Hobie doesn't use paint. The parts are anodized - an aluminum oxide coating that's produced with chemical baths and electricity. It's not a DIY job, but theoretically, you can have the parts re-anodized - at considerable effort and expense.

All paint has the same flaw - it looks good for a while, but isn't very durable. It chips and scratches - after a short time, you've got a bigger mess.

Some people have been touting Penetrol, a paint additive. Wipe on, wipe off. I don't have experience with it, but I haven't heard any down side to it.

Alright thanks! Im kinda scattered in this project for now... its almost sailable... but as far as being aesthetically pleasing ive got some serious work to do!

Hey, I'm working on the same boat we've been talking about, does anyone know what the shroud, forestay, and bridle wires should be rated to?

Some of our DIY cables are galvanized and vinyl coated, but the shroud wires we made are really thick stainless steel. We're probably re-doing our forestay and bridle wires with the stainless steel, but I thought I'd make sure we're getting the right stuff so we don't have to do it a third time