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PostPosted: Fri Aug 19, 2005 11:08 am 
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Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Fri Aug 19, 2005 11:02 am
Posts: 4
I have just decided to purchase a used hobiecat H-16 '86. In surverying the boat I noticed that more than one line is in need of repair. So, I went to the web with anticipations of great help and ideas. In looking at lines I noticed that some that you can purchase have a vinyl coating. Has anyone on here experimented with plastisol and coating their own lines?? If so I would like some information on your experience.

Also, what are some things that I should make sure to check out on the boat since it is nearly 20 years old. I got a decent deal considering the boat came with a trailor. So that is why I went with the older boat.

Thanks,
Scott


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Aug 19, 2005 12:35 pm 
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Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2005 10:43 am
Posts: 779
Location: St. Louis, MO
Scott,

Congratulations on your new (to you) boat! Welcome to the club.

I had a '86 H16 and it was a great boat. Here is what I reccommend.

1) Get all new standing rigging. For a few hundred bucks you get alot of peace of mind. All the new wires come with vinyl coating. A must have to protect you and your sails.

2) Get all new running rigging. Aside from the main sheet this has been sitting in the sun and deteriroating. Go to your local marine store and get it cut to length. Someone else in the forum will know where the document is that tells you the lengths and diameters of each piece of line.

3) Check for soft spots cause by delamination. Read the forums and you will find more information on this than you can imagine. A fairly simple fix. I just repaired a spot on my H18 and it took about an hour of time.

4) Check the tramp and tramp lacing. Make sure the lacing is tight as this is part of what helps hold the boat togeather. If the lacing is worn or the tramp has holes, replace the lacing and patch the holes. Use your judgement here, don't go crazy and spend all of your money.

5) Check the bottom of the hulls and look at the extent of the beach rash. Make sure the glass fibers are not exposed. The H16 is a tough boat, but you don't want to soak up too much water.

6) Check your rudder system. Make sure the cams (Plastic blocks inside fo the castings) are in good shape. Look to see if they are held in place by a rivet or a pair of binder screws. If it is the rivet, I would suggest spending the $25 or so and get the replacement kit. Then, keep you current cams as spares. The first time you break a cam you will see the value in this "upgrade".

7) Look for leaks in your hulls. Read the forum and support section of this web site for how to do this.

There are lots of upgrades and gadgets you can get for the H16. Sail for a season before you spend too much on these things so you know what is more important to you. This way you can budget for the important stuff.

Other suggestions for making life easier:

1) Miracle 20 tiller connector. This tightens up your rudder system and makes it easier to trailer the boat.

2) Fiberglass telescoping hiking stick. I like the Hotstick. It's light and tough.

3) The gooseneck bearing. It's cheap, makes adjusting the downhaul much easier, and saves the sail track on the lower part of your mast.

4) A 6:1 low profile block and tackel for the main sheet. This will be very useful on those windy and gusty days. It will take less strength to trim the mainsail and you can stay out on the water much longer.

5) A low profile jib travel system. This will allow you easier access to adjust the traveler position. Plus they don't get in the way as much.

That's about all I can think of now. Have a blast! You'll love the boat.

_________________
Nick

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


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 Post subject: H-16 'must haves'
PostPosted: Fri Aug 19, 2005 3:02 pm 
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Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2005 10:13 am
Posts: 1184
Location: Nepean S.C. Ottawa, Canada
Why not start with replacing the anchor pins, as they take an enormous amount of strain, and check all clevis pins and their ring-dings very carefully. Check that the shackle for the shrouds (at the mast tang) is in great shape, and is WIRED so it cannot become undone.
Then check the forum threads for which kind of teflon chip is best for underneath the mast (to act as a bearing or lubrication.)
Check the threads (and with other sailors) as to the set up of the rigging. Everyone raves about raking the mast further back so you get more speed and more pointing ability. Do something about that in your second or third sailing season, along with adjusting the rudder rake to match. Set everything neutral for now. Later get the 6:1 mainblocks etc. when you really want to zoom.
Service, oil or grease the rudder cams, delrin screws and springs. On older boats, often the delrin screw becomes locked in with age. Replace it as a winter project.
Meet with other H16 sailors, and see what else you can pick up. The best tip we ever got was to tie a figure 8 knot in the mainsheet between the main's blocks and the traveller's cam-lock. Adjust this knot so that if you have to do an emergency gybe, the knot is set such that the traveller car will NOT hit the end of the the traveller track, but stop just before. If you do this in strong enough winds, the traveller car has been known to explode. Then life gets exciting.
Don't forget the safety stuff - lifejacket, whistle, bouyant heaving line, and a bottle of your favourite refreshment.

Good winds

_________________
2015 H16, with spin,
SOLD 1989 Hobie SX18 Sail # 1947 "In Theory..."
'Only two things are infinite, the universe, and human stupidity. But I'm not sure about the former.'


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 Post subject: Lines
PostPosted: Sat Aug 20, 2005 2:52 pm 
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Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2005 12:17 pm
Posts: 30
Hey Scott

If by lines you mean the ropes that control the sails, you want a line that is not slippery, you want to have a good quality line for ease of control and less fatigue, so vinyl coating or plastic coasting is not good here. If by line you mean running rigging, stays, the vinyl coating is supposed to help with chafing on the sails. I do not like to coat the stays because I can not give what I cannot see a through inspection.

Things to look at on the boat:

Check all the rivets, not only just to see if they are there or lose but if they are of the proper material. Any rivet that is used to hold the boat or its parts together should be stainless steel. As this is an older boat and you probably do not know its history it is possible that somebody could have used an aluminum or steel rivet in a very critical place and fail when least expected. Aluminum is not good because it has no sheer and of course steel corrodes.

Make sure the mast is sealed, particularly the tip, if you go over, and you will, (half the fun) this will help to keep the boat from going turtle (upside down, not good).

Get a good righting line system and know how to use it before you go out.

Mike


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Aug 22, 2005 6:21 am 
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Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2005 10:43 am
Posts: 779
Location: St. Louis, MO
Be very careful when replacing rivets. Stainless and aluminum will have galvanic reaction. On any sections of the mast or boom where there is not much shear force, use aluminum. The hobie parts catalog will tell you which ones teh factory uses. If you don't have one you can get it in .pdf format in the support pages or you can order one for free.

I like the vinyl coating for the sail protection as well as the protection it gives the wires used in the standing rigging. Especially if you sail in salt water, keeping the stainless protected is a good idea. Having worked on a wooden charter sailboat from building it to crew it for a few years, I am very familiar with protecting stainelss cables. We would wrap and tar all stainless cables that were regularly exposed to the salt water to keep them from corroding and to keep small debris out of them. If you are worried about not being able to see the wires get new standing rigging after a major event where it might have gotten damaged or every 3-4 years.

You can buy alot of rigging over a long period of time for the price of a new set of sails.

_________________
Nick

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


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