Hobie 16 - Winter Maintenance

Hello All - I am a new Hobie 16 owner. I purchased a 1984 catamaran in the late fall. The boat is in relatively good condition. It has a bit of wear on the bottom of the hulls. We got it in the water (small lakes in central PA) twice this fall. Once on a nice calm day (0-8 kts).. we had to paddle a bit, but didn't mind. The second time was in 10-15 kts with some 20 kts gusts...that was a bit much for our novice level skills, but we survived and learned a lot! Anyway, the boat is in the garage for the winter and I have a list of potential projects to get it ready for the first warm day in the spring. I hope some of the experienced owners might offer their comments, criticisms, or general thoughts on good winter projects... Here is my list so far (in no order of priority):
[list=]Clean and waterproof the mast
Paint main halyard stops bright colors so we can better see them
Polish and clean the hulls
Check sail battens
Check and replace shock cords for trapeze rigs and righting line rig
Fix mast step jig...Currently when stepping the mast, it rotates forward just a bit too far so that the ball goes just a bit beyond the socket. To get it in requires a tricky dynamic lift and shift backwards. Not exactly easy.
Clean and seal all aluminum. It currently has a fair bit of pitting. At best I would just like to stop any further deterioration
Replace rail rugs[/list]

Thank you for any help!

If your boat is on the level the mast will drop in properly. If the bows are high, it'll bind up the way you mentioned.
If you're setting up on a trailer, you may want to adjust your hitch height if possible.
Basically you want the side frames level, so you can move the boat back on the trailer to level also.

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JKK
83 yellow/ white decks Hobie 14 Corando turbo
82 yellow hulls Hobie 16 Cat Fever
84 yellow hulls hobie 16 Yellow Nationals
plus a few extras that I'm restoring

Make sealing the mast your top priority.

A new mast step link will cure the mast ball missing the cup. While they are made to be rotated down out of the way while sailing, it's like five seconds of extra effort to remove and replace when needed so that it doesn't get bent/broken accidentally (which can cause the issue you're having).

Good luck!

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Jerome Vaughan
Hobie 16

MollyAnna-You have a nice list so far & others have given you good advice. I just want to add a few important things to your winter list:
Check all wires-shrouds, bridle wires, trapeze wires, forestay, the wire that runs through your jib at both thimbles, Jib halyard wire, main halyard wire.....ALL WIRES.
Disassemble & check both anchor bars & bolts for corrosion.
"A bit of wear on the bottom of the hulls???" You might need a bottom job, but maybe not. A little over 30 years ago I had to do a bottom job on our 1979 H-16, but since then I just brush on a little resin (and hardener) [NO FIBERGLASS] with a cheap paint brush. No need to turn your boat over nor even remove it from your trailer. I do this about once per year & my hulls still look like new. Sand the bottoms first, just a little, to clean & rough up the surface. Just be certain that it's warm enough so that the resin dries and doesn't become tacky.
Good luck with your winter projects and we hope that you enjoy your boat next Spring.
Richard

If you boat is in typical condition for one of that age, I would definitely give the rudder system an overhaul.

Tighten gudgeon screws.
Replace bent or worn rudder pins.
Replace worn rudder casting bushings.
Clean and lube the cam/locking mechanism and replace any worn parts.
Remove rudder blades and fill & drill worn/ovalized rudder bolt holes.
Fill and fair any dings or wear on the rudder blades.
Install shims between the rudder blades and the castings to eliminate any wobble of the rudder blades.
Remove and replace any loose rivets in the tiller arms or crossbar.
Tighten the tiller extension yoke bolt.
Check rudder toe-in and adjust as necessary.
Adjust rudder rake/lock down mechanism so the rudders lock down and kick up properly.

Having a well functioning rudder system will make a big improvement in boat handling and make things more enjoyable all around.

sm

Being that your storing it in the garage, temporary elevate the front of the boat ( on the trailer ) and drain the hulls. (if you have not aready done so ) leave the drain plugs out, (will help dry out the inside of the hulls) but keep the plugs at the rear of the hulls, easily visible, so you don't forget to reinstall them. If your planning on taking your rudders off, for the season, and/or for maintenance, that is the best time to elevate your boat for complete drainage. ( slide it forward on the trailer, and re-strap/ tie it down, if you need more clearance).

Loosen your tramp, for the season, but leave it on, or take it off, if you want to clean it good. Don't get to close with the wand, if you pressure wash it, avoid using armor all, or other similar polymers on the surface that you sit. ( can make it dangerously slippery ) However you can use polymers, on the backside or waterside of the tramp. The best thing is make, or get a cover for the topside of the tramp when not in use during the summer. Next year, retighten your tramp when it gets warm, let it sit outside in the sun for a while before you tighten it up ( a tight trampoline, tightens the boat up )

Using armor all or a similar polymer on all your plastic ,rubber, etc. that is on the boat, mast, trailer, ( tires ) etc. that sits out in the sun during the summer, will prolong the life and color. Put it on thick, and just let it sit on there and soak in on its own.

Besides what others have mentioned about stepping your mast, which is great advice. Another thing you can do as a safety, to help prevent your mast from hanging up, is wrap one or two black rubber bungy cord (s ) around the mast, up about 2-4 inches from the base, and pull it/ them down between the lacing, close to the front crossbar, and hook it/ them to the dolphine striker crossbar. With the mast pinned in, at the "16" hole just sitting ready to go up, adjust enough tension in the bungy ( s) so it pulls the mast downward, ( at the joint ) just enough to get it, as far down, as you can get it. Raise your mast, and once you have the forestay secured, carefully remove the bungy (s) and un pin your mast from the stepper link.

Using a phillips screwdriver the same diameter ( or close) size, instead of your stepper pin for the link, is way easier to remove once it is up.

If you remove your tiller from the rudder crossbar, ( because of rudder service or: _____ ) keep it level while doing so, be carefull to put a bolt back in that hole with a nut on it, or use a wire tie to run through that hole and cinch it. There is a reinforcement piece inside the crossbar, tipping it, could cause it to slide to the other end. It can be a bit of a pain to get it back into position. more so, if it should spin, slightly, throwing the holes out of alignment. carefully ( if needed ) remove the tiller, and look in the hole, you'll see it, it will look double thickness, If you dont see it, and it only looks single thickness (1/16-3/16 thick ) it may be in there, but at one end or the other. If need be take your end adjuster off, but mark the position it is at it first. tapping that end on the floor carefully ( put a board of wood down, avoid damaging the end ) should dislodge it from where it is.

Wire ties are great for securing, wires, temporary, or misc. stuff. when getting ready to launch or traveling. Just make sure you keep some wire cutters with you. Avoid using a knife for those.

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79 H16 #46803

you might raise trailer wheels off the ground and remove air pressure. This is a good time to clean outer wheel bearings and repack with grease. Inner bearings can be wiped clean of grease in their position in hub. look forward to spring 2017.

Thanks for all the great suggestions! A really helpful list... I'll get to work...

Does anyone have suggestions for cleaning up some of the pitting on the trampoline frame and other locations? What can I use to protect these areas from further corrosion?

Not much you can do about existing pitting. To prevent additional corrosion, make sure the boat is rinsed off with fresh water after sailing in salt water and use an anti-corrosion paste anywhere a stainless steel fastener is in contact with aluminum. If you can store the boat indoors, that would help a lot too, but that's not an option for most folks.

sm

There are some great YouTube videos on rebuilding your rudders. Trust me when I say that when they work correctly it is effortless and wonderful. When they don't work right, it is a constant frustration and struggle!

The other thing is to make sure that you can easily clete and unclete all of your control lines without having to be on top of it. You should be able to do it with a flick of the wrist from the sailing position. Many of Home Depot ropes used as lines don't have the right weight to work well. After a couple of years of struggling with them I made the investment in good lines, and ohh, what a difference!

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Steve
1979 Hobie 16 "Orange Crusher"
2017 Hobie 16 "Cayman" sails 114795

Can you describe this? I have a H16, and the main halyard has a bead, on the wire rope, that latches to a hook at the top of the mast. There is only one bead - no reefing on this main.
But I am not sure what you mean by painting halyard stops (plural).

I have heard of some people cleating the main at the base, not knowing that the main is held up by the bead/latch at the top. That is an error and a strain on the mast.

A 1984 H16 would have been supplied with an all-aluminum mast and a wire halyard with two stops, one of which allowed for reefing the main.

sm

I can confirm this. I have a 1984 H16 and the halyard does indeed have two beads on the wire.

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Marty
1984 H16 Yellow Nationals Redline, "Yellow Fever"
Lake Martin, 'Bama.

aluminum crossbars could be polished with steel wool. applying a clear acrylic coat of spray paint will seal them. clear can be found in home depot ie. rustoleum is the premier coating in spray can.

That is a spectacularly bad idea. Steel wool leaves little bits of itself behind that get caught in every crevice - and then rust.

Additionally, the aluminum on a Hobie Cat is not "bare" - it has clear (or black) anodizing - a very tough coating of aluminum oxide. Almost nothing will stick to it permanently, especially spray lacquer. It will eventually degrade under the sun and flake off.

There is no need to spray paint your Hobie's aluminum with anything (unless you want to restore the black color). Wash well with soap and water, and if you want to protect it further, a coat of wax (but not on the black aluminum - it will leave a white haze).