Nylon Plugs on the bottom of a Revo

On my 2008 Revolution, I have two nylon plugs in front of the drive hole. The two plugs are inline with the keel. The plug furthest from the drive hole is the base for the sail mast holder. The other is inbetween the first and very close to the pedal drive. Is this typical for a revo? Any idea what purpose the plug nearest the drive performs?

Yes, they're both normal. The one closest to the drivewell covers a screw that anchors a brass insert that reinforces the nose of the drivewell. A lot of pressure is transferred from the Drive to the hull at this point.

This is all embedded in plastic so if you were to lose the plug it wouldn't cause a problem.

Thank you for the info.

I lifted off both nylon caps and did see the brass inserts. Each with an internal thread. Any idea if the inserts are placed into the hull before or after the molding of the hull?

These inserts are attached to the mold (before molding) via the threads you can see when the cap is removed.

Once the boat is done molding they back out the screws (from outside the mold) that held the insert in place. In assembly, they cover the thread holes with the caps.

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

I was wondering if it was molded or machined into the hull. I've attached a couple of pics of my revo's drive well. I've got a thru hole between the front of the drive well and the plastic covered brass insert.

Looking at the side view, the brass plug build up is out of line the amount of the width of the thru hole. Do most revo's have the build up out of line and a thru hole? It never bothered me till my revo started leaking.

The positioning of this insert does not vary. There is only one place on the mold for it to be attached. There is a gap between the insert and the drivewell that will leave a depression or "hole" depending on the natural variability of the rotomolding process. This is not important as long as it bridges the leading edge of the drivewell to the hull. Actually, the brass itself is only important insofar as it acts as a magnet to draw additional plastic to this area. The melted plastic flows over this area and coats the brass, creating the bridge.

Yours looks perfectly normal. This is a structural insert, not a cosmetic piece. As you can see in your picture, it is centered under the nose of the drivewell right where it is supposed to be. The plastic formation around your insert looks quite substantial. I also examined an '09 Revolution and it looks very similar to yours.

If your boat has a leak, I suggest you follow Hobie's recommended procedure to locate the source. This may be found under "Frequently Asked Questions" http://www.hobiecat.com/community/viewforum.php?f=21. It is not difficult.

It is not unusual for kayaks to leak some small amount of water, including Hobies, depending on water conditions. Likely sources include rudder control openings, rudder up-down and directional control handles and hatch mounting or seal areas. If you have a more aggressive leak you may have a crack somewhere. If you do, see your dealer.

Thanks Roadrunner. My concern with the thru hole was that perhaps the back side of the insert didn't get covered with plastic. My thinking was that water could be seeping in past the nylon plug and in between the brass and the hull due to the brass piece not being fully encapsulated. I've always found water in the cavity.

Anyways, I finally found my leak and it's not at the nose of the drive well!