Help: How to fix stiff twist-n-seal hinges/locking handle?

Hi guys,

I've just picked up a Hobie Revo on which the hinges and locking handles on both of the twist-n-seal hatches are very stiff - I believe there's a fair bit of sand in there too...

Just wondering if it's possible to easily remove the metal pin and take apart the locking handle (same for the hinges), so I can clean/relube?

I don't want to start mucking around too much until I know it's safe to do so!

Cheers,

Mike.

I think salt water makes them stiffen up - the design is such that when they are closed on the deck of the boat water will enter them due to gravity... unavoidable really.

I give mine an occasional squirt of whatever spray I have lying around the man cave: silicon/wd-40/crc lube/household lock oil... seems to do the trick at preventing them seizing. After they have seized up it isn't as easy to free them up to "like new" this way but it does make some difference.

Before you take them apart you might consider spending a wee bit of time working some sort of thin lube down into them e.g. over a couple or three days to try to wash them through/get the lube right down into the friction surfaces rather than immediately taking them apart.

I did think about taking them apart - from what I remember it didn't look like it was going to be too difficult, just a bit fiddly. As to getting them back together and working like new afterwards: that might be the tricky bit !

WD-40. I would not take apart. Wash with fresh water after each use and then WD-40 each time. Good Luck

The o-rings can be damaged by petroleum lubricants. Use silicone.

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

Thanks for the replies...

I bought my 2009 Revo from a bloke who (self-admittedly) never did ANY maintenance on the boat after trips out - the paddle (the older alloy-shafted one) is now fused into one piece, the Mirage drive is in need of a good service too, and the trax cart had been run-over by his car. Apart from that, it seems like a nice boat - aside from the colour: yellow!

I've given both hatches a good blast with fresh-water, then sprayed the hinges and locking handles with Innox.

I've washed the o-rings in warms soapy water and then given them a liberal coating of Amorall... Things seem to have improved considerably!

Cheers,

Mike.

Yellow is a good colour ! Easily the most visible.

Re Matt's advice about not using petroleum-based products on ther seals:

Matt, does this advice apply to the twist-lock latches as well as the hatch seal rings? i.e. do the twist-locks have rubber seals inside them that you can't see but which could suffer if petroleum-based products are used to free them up after they have become stiff ?!