Aussie Halyard Angst

Bought the Hobie Aussie Halyard for my '83. Went on just fine. When I put the mast up the first time, the forestay is so long the mast would not stay up. It tips over so far that the hinge jacks the mast out of the cup. Scary. Anyway, I can keep it up by putting it in the bottom hole on the bridle (barely). I took some pictures so will see if I can figure out how to get them in here. Do I take the forestay to someone to have it shortened? My mast is black, but all aluminum. Everything else seems to be stock 1983. Any advice would be very helpful. Thanks.[/img]

Remove the hinge while leaning on the mast.

The forestay is that long to provide the maximum rake possible without the wire becoming loaded in any way. Yes, looks awkward when only the forestay is attached, but works fine.

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

Matt, I know you know more about this than I fursur, but...
He states that the ball comes up out of the step, this sounds like a disaster ready to happen. Could he not have something connected incorrectly??

Sam

_________________
Sail Like you Have a Pair
Bluish gray 73 - 83 H16
Super Nice Yellow 84 H18

A photo might help. I think I see what he means by telling you to pull the pin while pushing on the mast, but maybe not.

What holes are your side stay adjusters in? Near the top or near the bottom.

Have you replaced your shrouds recently? or are they the original 83 shrouds? When I got my old 79 boat, I had the exact same problem only to realize that shroud lengths have shortened since then. So if you bought a new forestay and are using old shrouds, then your shrouds are most likely too long. I believe they cut them shorter to allow more mast rake to point higher upwind and all the other advantages, but i maybe wrong.

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~vinny

I don't have any idea how old the shrouds are. They are white vinyl covered and I have them in the bottom hole, as short as they can get.
Even with the hinge unpinned the hinge attachment lug hits the unpinned hinge and pushes the mast up out of the cup.
I have pictures, but am somewhat challenged by how to post them. I have not been able to figure it out yet and the FAQ list is not clear on this point.

upload picture to photobucket.
select the picture you want to post
at the bottom of the page it has generate html codes
select the one that says message board
copy and past them here

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Brad Stephens
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(866) 786-5266 <--- Advice HOTline
http://www.sunjammers.com
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Shrouds are not going to stop the mast from falling backwards. From the way he describes his rig, he needs a shorter forestay or he has it connected to the wrong location. Not having a ausi-Halyard, I do not know how it hooks up..

That is why pictures would be a grate help, or maybe Matt could just take a run over to mdgann's place and see what is going on.

_________________
Sail Like you Have a Pair
Bluish gray 73 - 83 H16
Super Nice Yellow 84 H18

You can see from the mast bast that I have clearanced the base to miss the hinge. The Jib tack picture shows the weird way I had to rig it to prevent the mast from falling over. I think that if I was not gentle with it, it would jump out of the base. The mast top picture is just to show the rigging at the mast top. I think that I am just going to shorten the forestay. Thanks for any comments and suggestions.

This is kind of amazing because I was about to write in with the same problem. I am a newby among newbies- I haven't sailed my new 2008 16 yet but I did my virgin mast stepping in the yard today.

I eventually I figured out that it came with the Aussie jib halyard. To step the mast myself I used an extension line on the jib halard which was attached to the forestay adjuster. After using the jib halyard to bring the mast all the way up, I tied it off at the mast and hooked up the forestay (at the top setting of the forestay adjuster).

When I released the jib halyard I also found the forestay to be too long. The mast leans back so far the top lies over the back of the hulls, almost as far as the rudder. Besides not looking right, the shrouds are extremely laxed. Even when the shrouds are on their lowest setting, they are still quite laxed.

I realize when the jib is up it should pull the mast forward to the correct position, but when I start sailing for the first time, I was going to use just the mainsail. I could keep the jib halyard set up to the forestay adjuster and tighten it up if go out with just a mainsail, but it really does seem like the forestay should be shorter.

I would appreciate any advice on this, and thanks for all the previous advice on this forum- It's gotten me this far!

Charlie

try putting the jib in the lower holes on the adjuster. I think I use the 2nd hole from the bottom.

How much mast rake are you running?

_________________
Brad Stephens
[email protected]
(866) 786-5266 <--- Advice HOTline
http://www.sunjammers.com
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Do you mean to put the jib in the second lowest hole on the forestay adjuster with the forestay just above in the third hole, or put the forestay into the 2nd lowest hole of the forestay adjuster with jib then attaching above the forestay? I considered this since it will bring the mast forward though I don't think it will come forward enough, and it seemed awkward with the jib .

As it is with the forestay in the top hole of the adjuster, the top of the mast is now over the back end of the boat, with the shrouds loose on even their lowest setting.

Given this is a new boat, I wonder if this is an issue with other new boats or am I just not getting something.

Thanks,
Charlie

This is all from memory so it may be a hole or two.........

Side shrouds go in 2nd hold from the bottom, forestay in the top hole.
Jib is in the 2nd hole from the bottom on the front adjuster.
raise the jib and pull the rig tight.
If this is still to much rake then move the shrouds up one hole and redo it all.

This is how I set up my 2004 boat and every new boat out of the box since then we've sold. The customer finalizes it to their sailing preference.

_________________
Brad Stephens
[email protected]
(866) 786-5266 <--- Advice HOTline
http://www.sunjammers.com
www.facebook.com/sunjammers

That's pretty much the way I have it now (except the shrouds are even in the bottom hole and still laxed).

I assume the forestay with the Aussie jib halyard, like I have, is the same length as the non-Aussie forestay. It's interesting that the original poster, mdgann, is also having the same issue with the Aussie.

I would like to start off sailing with just the mainsail. Should the top of the mast be almost over the rudder when the jib is not up?

Thanks again,
Charlie

The problem with putting the forestay in the lowest hole at the bridle is illustrated in the Jib Tack picture. You have to put the jib on over the top of the forestay because it is in the way and can't be moved as it is holding up the mast. I'm shortening it about 8 inches. I just have to figure out who has the swages and tools to do it for me. Thanks.