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 Post subject: Is this an issue.
PostPosted: Sun Aug 27, 2017 1:31 pm 
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Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Fri Jan 06, 2017 6:58 am
Posts: 5
Location: Southern Maryland
I just recently purchased my 2013 cat and drove it 500mi home. I've taken it out on the Chesapeake Bay a couple of times so far and everything is what I should expect. As I was washing it down I noticed a small crack on the mast just above the mast tang. It looks like this is a sleeve or spacer where the main part of the mast connectsto the top assembly. I'm also thinking this piece is plastic. Do I have a structural issue here?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxSkY97V699GWDU3a0tSM2RESU0/view?usp=drivesdk

THANKS FOR ANY HELP!


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 Post subject: Re: Is this an issue.
PostPosted: Sun Aug 27, 2017 9:09 pm 
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Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2015 6:28 pm
Posts: 148
Given the orientation of where it's positioned, I'd imagine it was due to the road vibrations generated while towing it. Did you have to rotate the mast to get that photo?

A long time ago I towed my boat with the bob attached to the mast. The road vibrations caused the bob to tear off of the top part of the mast which the bob sits on. I had to replace it.

When towing in the future, make sure that things which can act like cantilevers are properly braced. I take the rudders off (although most people don't) when towing long distances. The mast is also another big part which can be this way.

Since it's on the comp tip, it could also have been due to the comp tip not being previously protected from UV damage. Was the comp tip left in the sun for extended periods of time?


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 Post subject: Re: Is this an issue.
PostPosted: Mon Aug 28, 2017 9:26 am 
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Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Mon May 09, 2005 10:25 am
Posts: 4176
Location: Jersey Shore
Hard to say from a picture.

The stepped section is a little odd. It looks like a molding defect or perhaps an indication of a prior repair.

Have you tried rigging the boat, putting it on it's side, and cranking in the mainsheet/downhaul to see if the crack spreads open or anything? Given the location and orientation of the crack, I suspect that if it were anything more than just cosmetic, the mast would have already broken since it is in such a highly loaded location. The only way to really know would be to sand away the paint and see if the glass fibers below are cracked.

sm


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 Post subject: Re: Is this an issue.
PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2018 1:00 pm 
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Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Sun Nov 13, 2016 11:46 am
Posts: 25
Location: York, pa
Hi, my name is Allen. I have a 2016 getaway and I have a issue just like this. I contacted hobie and they are saying it’s a cosmetic issue.. mine has actually chipped down to the fibers. What it is, is a thick layer of epoxy resin. I have not found a way to repair because the resin I tried to coat back over it just cracked out again. The dealer also asked if I’m trapezing off the bench seat. Well yes I was, and supposedly the mast isn’t made to handle that. I’m honeslty scared myself that it will break someday and injure someone or cause more damage. But so far it has lasted a full season even with the spinnaker being used whenever I had the chance. I will figure out how to send pictures of mine.


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 Post subject: Re: Is this an issue.
PostPosted: Wed Mar 14, 2018 10:07 am 
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Joined: Tue May 27, 2003 12:44 pm
Posts: 15027
Location: Oceanside, California
Quote:
I have a 2016 getaway and I have a issue just like this.


Is your CompTip glued into the Extrusion? There should be a gap between the extrusion and the lip of the CompTip. If not... they chip when the mast bends. If not glued in place... they contact at those points and chip. You can grind away a bit of the putty to make a gap.

It is cosmetic and has not been known to cause a failure.

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


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 Post subject: Re: Is this an issue.
PostPosted: Wed Mar 14, 2018 1:56 pm 
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Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Sun Nov 13, 2016 11:46 am
Posts: 25
Location: York, pa
Thank you for your reassurance Matt! That sounds on point. I’m probably going to use black rtv or something like it to fill in the void and keep fibers protected from uv rays. I will also probably make a mast support for the center of the mast during trailering to keep from flexing.


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