Cracks In Comp Tip

I have a new hobie 16 2008 and have not sailed it yet. I was rigging up the mast and notice some hairline cracks over the whole comp tip. Has anybody noticed this before?

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Coronodo Hobie 16 SE 2008

Over the whole tip? New? That doesn't sound right. Get some photos to or have your dealer look at it.

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

Yep, I bought a 2005 H16 last summer that had never been in the water and the mast was still in the wrapper when I got it home. The comptip was fairly busted up but still had the correct shape. The former dealer (it was his last boat) told me to call Hobie as it was under warranty. Hobie said it could have been cracked in shipping, or laying around the shop for 2 years and did not want to replace the whole mast because shipping anything 26 feet long is expensive.

Anyway, Matt got me a new comptip but I had to perform the dreaded mast-ectomy. You can find various instructions on how the get er' done online in this forum. Thanks again Jeremy!!

I had no success with the blow torch method and pulling it apart with a boat winch and large block & tackle. Matt was right...cut the comptip off near the mast connection and saw the inside into sections, staying away from the mast, and peeling the sawed sections out.

Go to ebay and buy a heavy duty rivit gun for the SS rivits that Matt will send you. Make sure it's a heavy duty rivit gun and I think I spent $40 for it, but at least it works well.

I've done a lot of work on various boats but this was a new one for me. Since I did not know what the hell I was doing replacing the comptip, I put silicon on the cracks (and of course some duck tape) and went sailing until I felt I had all the information I needed to proceed.

Apparently, even a cracked comptip has quite a bit of strength, because I got caught in some squalls and just went fast...but you never know till it's too late. Light to medium sailing might be OK until the fix.

Good Luck
wetasse

That is because most cracks are just in the outer putty... This is entirely cosmetic.

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

Fooboo,
Here is a simple way to determine if the cracks are surface scratches or deeper. Just try breathing on the comptip cracks and see it you can pull air through it. On mine, I could clearly breathe through the cracks in the comptip. You will need to seal the cracks if you plan to sail it until you get a new mast, or comptip installed. If you flip the boat the mast will probably leak now.

A lot of times the glass can pass air without it being a crack. The black putty is the water barrier. We even have to paint the trim on the leading edge because the glass is not water proof.

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