Whats the need for this?

Ok, in my last post I explained that I needed a new tiller crossbar.

I had the same issue years ago with sunfish mast and booms and now with the H16

My curious question is:

What is the need for sailboat companies to make their own dies for their own alum extrusions?

Cant they just use standard diameters readily available???

This is just making me misserable....

Today I visited 3 alum suppliers none had the diameter needed for a replacement tiller crossbar, either a fraction too large or too small.

Check this out... A 20' long alum pipe scd 40 slightly larger in diameter than the actual tiller crossbar costs only 40$. but the hobie crossbar is only 76" long and costs 125$! Not to mention shipping to PR.

I know its part of making money on replacement parts but damn all I want to do is go sailing!!!!!!!

Alexsails,
I understand, been there myself. I'd take the available stock size with the smaller inside diameter, have it turned-out to the proper diameter by a local machinist (unless you have a lathe), adapt it to your end fittings....and go sailing.

Many times I've had to figure out how to do stuff on my own....because I really wanted to sail and didn't have the extra cash to buy the good stuff.

Half the fun for me is taking a design that I worked out the bugs on and watching it work on the water. The other half of the fun is just plain blasting across the water using nothing but the wind.

Awe inspiring stuff. Hang in there,
Eric

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Eric
H16
Sail# 11500

Just remember that you will have some serious corrosion on the schd 40 pipe unless you anodize it.

Also, check out the schd 80 pipe at is has the same OD but the ID is larger. It may be closer to what you are looking for.

I will venture to say the reason why the manufacturer's parts cost more is because of the aluminum alloy used and the anodizing. They have spent the time and money to determine which materials work best. This is not to say that something else won't work just as well or better, but by using something different you are doing your own R&D.

As the previous poster said, that can be fun.

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Nick

Current Boat
In the market
Previous boats owned
'74 Pearson 30
'84 H16
'82 H18 Magnum
St. Louis, MO

I checked for schd 40 and 80...schd 80 is only used in very large pipes...so schd 40 was the only available structural pipe in small diameters.

They also carry anodized alum but no one makes the exact diameters to match the crossbar....

If I was a sailboat manufacturer the only reason for making my own extrusion dies would be to force people back into purshasing from me the replacement parts.

But much easier on the manufacturer and on the buyer is to use sizes already available in the market to all. No expensive dies to make for extruding alum and no misserable people (like me) trying to find parts that dont exist outside the "hobie world"

just plain old sailing fun!!!

I have cheap option in extending my crossbar in the middle so the tips reach the 76" needed.

...and get in the water asap.

I found a 7/8" solid alum 6063 rod for 6$ that fits almost tight inside the crossbar. Cut the crossbar in half and extend in the middle with this rod riveted inside. All I need to extend is 2".

Im also ordering carbon fiber sleeves from Soller to make a new crossbar out of a pvc core and 3 layers of carbon and epoxy...

Alex, the price you quoted comes with the ends and tiller yoke installed and ready to go. Also, your new tiller xbar won't be hardened or annodized. So, lets compare apples to apples and be fair. The diameter and wall thickness should availible from a good metal shop.

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Sail Revolution
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Jeremy, I never thought the xbar came with connectors as well. But anyways I bought the M20 connectors the other day to upgrade from the stock....

M20 connectors 120$
Alum rod to extend xbar 6$

I just want to get sailing....I can think of more upgrades afterwards and when I feel the boat.

Isn't there also an internal piece of aluminum at the mid-section where the tiller yoke through-bolts? I haven't looked recently, but I think there is (or at least the 1983 I have had one). It keeps the thiller cross bar from collapsing from over-tightening and gives more surface area for the bolt.

Jon

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Sail Fast, Take Chances.

I am in the tooling industry and work close with an aluminum extruding company. I find it very hard to believe that Hobie would use a proprietery tube for this assembly. What are the dimensions? (inside and out) Is it possible that it is a metric dimension? Probably not because of the year of manufacture. Reply with the dimensions and I will see what I can do.

I did find a 5 inch section in the middle of double wall alum, where the joke attaches to the crossbar.... inserted a steel rod and pounded the insert out after I cut the crossbar in half.... I extended the crossbar in the middle with the solid alum bar 7/8" and two ss rivets on each side...solid and 76" long now. Still have to install the M20 connectors.

I dont have a caliper to measure the tube precisely but the guy at the alum supply did measure the inside at .93 inches (ID) ...
OD I measured at 1 1/8" with tape measurer...