Alternative main halyard?

The other day I hoisted my main sail for the first time on my H16 . (yes it's been a while) . Work has finally slowed down.
There are 2 little nuggets on the wire. The second ones kept getting caught right at the top in the track. I had to tip the boat and pull it out.
My buddy that has a small fleet on the beach that he rents out, said that he just uses halyard line, and eliminated the wire.

Any thoughts?

Cheers
El Gordo

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1983 H16
"El Gordo"

Replacing the wire with line is not advisable. It's not the way the boat was designed and the cleat is not designed to take that kind of load.

If the halyard slug is getting caught, figure out why. Maybe you just need to round the edges on it a bit. Maybe the track flare at the top of the extrusion is too wide. Fix the problem so the boat works as it was designed to work instead of creating another, potentially more significant problem with the "fix".

I wasn't too keen on the idea either.
Thanks MBounds

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1983 H16
"El Gordo"

A bead can get caught in the mast track when the sail is lowered and the halyard is totally slack. Keep some tension on the halyard for the first few feet when lowering.

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

You have to be sure that both slugs are outside of the track as you raise the main. The only place it can get inside the track is at the opening where you enter the luff rope into the luff track. Early on I constantly had issues with this, but I must be getting smarter (or lucky) since I haven't had any issues lately with it. My first slug also catches top of the v-catch when raising the main if I don't pull it far enough out in front of the mast. I still have that issue sometimes. At least now I know immediatly what the problem is, rather than having to stop and figure it out.

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Steve
2017 Hobie 16 "Cayman" sails 114795
1985 & 1973? Hobie 14 "Sea & Ski"

I have this problem where the reefing slug gets stuck in the mast track. I do not ever have plans to reef the sail, so is it advisable, or possible to remove this slug? obviously very carefully with maybe some side cutters or another tool? Thanks!

I would not try to remove 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)

so the first slug that comes over the mast tip when raising sail is the reefing slug correct? and the second slug is the one I'm supposed to be using right?
If thats right what is the reefing slug for? or what is reefing ?

I had the same question recently. Besides the second slug, I noticed a row of grommets in the main sail about 4 feet from the bottom. As a way to reduce power when necessary, you can lower the main sail to the second slug, and then run cords through the grommets and around the boom, essentially reducing the amount of surface area.

Reefing is shortening the mainsail to de-power in stronger winds. If you have two slugs on the halyard, your boat is an '85 or older. If the sails are '85 or older, there will be a set of grommets a couple of feet up from the boom. Lowering the sail to the first slug will allow you to tie short lines through the grommets and around the boom. I reefed once and found it was a waste of time on the Hobie. I also owned a Cape Cod catboat (monohull) where reefing was necessary in stronger winds.

Hobie did away with the reefing points with the advent of the comptip mast. The reefing halyard requires a length of wire which defeated the purpose (electrical protection) of the plastic upper part of the mast. The halyard for the comptip mast has a very short piece of wire.

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Howard

Plus, almost nobody ever reefed. In 40+ years of sailing these boats, I think I've done it twice - and that was a long time ago.

I am replacing my main wire rope now that I made my own masthead sheeve and I see hobie states the distance of 15-7/8" for the stop. My question is is that from tge shackle pin or top of shackle?
This is the non comp tip
Thanks