Loose stays?

I have a 2011 Getaway that I purchased 4 years ago from a dealer.

Three years ago I put the boat in water at Lake Travis in Austin. I tie up in a marina for a great price, so I leave the boat on the water year round. The first year I was in a slip and for the past two years I've been tying up the starboard hull to the dock at the back of the marina. You can see my Getaway in this satellite view from Google maps:
https://goo.gl/maps/6KGZqTTKTXXHaMoe9
I'm in that last row of boats.

I was warned that leaving the boat on the water could result in loose stays... a local Hobie dealer told me a story about a guy who kept his Getaway on a mooring ball on this lake... the wake from the powerboats and PWCs buzzing by rocked the boat so much that the stays stretched, then snapped and the mast came down.

I just paid my boat a visit with plans to kick off the summer sailing season. The stays seem a little loose, but I can't remember if that's how they've always been. The boat is at the back of a cove away from powerboat wakes, but we still get weather that could rock the boat quite a bit.

Is there some guideline for determining if the stays are at the correct tension? If they are loose, where can I find instructions on tightening them?

I'm going to pull the boat up on the land soon to clean the hulls; this would be a good time to address the stays if needed.

Thanks!

I would, at the very least, drop the rig and check all the wires and shackles. Leaving up for even a full season requires occasional inspection and then replacement wires every few years.

The wires should be snug/taut.

You can review the manual and rigging videos for details.

https://www.hobie.com/support/getaway/

Manual: https://static.hobiecat.com/digital_assets/Getaway_Assembly_Manual_2019.pdf

Videos:

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

Rather than replace with wire, replace with dyneema with a line cascade at the bottom so you can retention each time. And, as Matt suggests, replace them every couple years. Also, before leaving the boat after a sail, take the time to run the main halyard back to the mainsheet to tighten the forestay fore and aft; then wrap another line or two around the shrouds (what you are calling stays are called shrouds by non Hobie people) and pull them back so there's a little tension and the mast will remain stable athwartships.

You should also plan on replacing your trampolines ever couple years since the sun will rot the fabric pretty fast. You can paint them with a paint to help them last longer if you have the time. You don't want to be surprised when you fall through them.

_________________
R/Thom
SeaRail 19
Triak
BMW C600
Formerly Getaway with Custom Spinnakers
Formerly raced F24 Mk II