getaway w/ hobie 16 mast

When I did this procedure on my getaway, I didn't really want to move the mast tang on the new mast because that would leave a lot of holes. I put the two masts on the ground next to each other and lined up the tangs to see the exact amount to cut off the bottom. I think it was around 7.5 inches, but I would recommend using your old mast as a guide to get the exact measurement.

If the distance from base to tang is the same, all the existing rigging fits perfectly.

Yes, I put the getaway mast base in the H16 mast after cutting off the bottom. Yes, it was a tight fit. In my case the the H16 mast was a little more oval shaped. I put the end in my vice and applied a little pressure to make it rounder and then slid the base in.

I didn't shorten the top of the mast because I didn't want to deal with removing and re-attaching the pulley at the top. Also, when I first did this, I wasn't sure if I might want to be able to raise the sail a little higher, get a slightly larger custom sail, or anything else. In the end, I didn't end up doing any of that and I could shorten the top, but it works fine as is.

Good Luck!
David

I got it all done. I am just waiting on the parts for the Mast Bob mount from Murry's and I'll be all set. Same dimentions as the original Getaway mast, and I am happy with the way it came out. I needed to grind off about an 1" off luff track on the inside of the mast and then base went in pretty easy with a rubber hammer.

Found two straight, freshwater boat H16 masts halfway across the nation. The price was right, $300US, so roadtrip it was. Used the unloaded trailer to transport them without event.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/eraXa6rmWaSoUpwFA

What are these little fittings? They're not on both masts, and I've never seen them before.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/X5UpNRPvheRFWuZj9

I don't know what that fitting is. What are you doing with the 2nd mast? I have one that still works but was damaged in Hurricane Harvey and should eventually be replaced.

that is used to keep the jib halyard tucked out of the way of the jib, moves it around to the side of the mast.

So I've been sailing now with the modified H16 mast for close to a month and it hasn't exposed any drawbacks at all. So glad I tried it before plopping down $1200 for a new composite mast tip.

Looks like I'm going to be joining the club. Uncovered my getaway last night to get ready for a fun weekend of sailing only to find the comptip snapped off. Hobie, can you hear us? This is a serious design flaw. Now I'm in the market for an old H16 mast, upper midwest. I think I will go the route that others have and just hack off the bottom and leave the top. Would it be a bad idea to leave it full length, swapping the mast foot, and extend the shrouds? I have a nice custom made halyard so that won't be an issue.

After delving into mine, I realized that cutting the top was literally no more complex than cutting the bottom. And while using a custom halyard would work, you'd still have 5 or so extra inches of mast above the sail and the task of realigning a new halyard swage for the sail catch. Since I didn't have a quality swaging tool, but bought plenty of extra closed end rivets to do the bottom of the mast, it made sense for me to cut the top and re rivet it and the halyard stop a few inches lower.

If you cut the right amount off the bottom then you don't have to mess with the tang or get new shrouds--just bend base a bit, hammer in Getaway mast base, and rivet in. If you don't mess with top you can either not hoist sail all the way to the top (don't think there's any downside from this) or hoist it all the way up and use it that way...I do both depending on wind, just need a longer line for downhaul/cunningham I'm sure the sail shape isn't perfect when all the way up given the main sheet is unchanged but I've never noticed.

I didn't cut the top of the H16 mast and left the H16 wire halyard on there but it's not super inconvenient honestly. I have to just thread main sail maybe two inches up the track in order to catch the halyard. Honestly I'd replace the halyard before I cut the mast just because it seems easier to either use a different wire halyard (or get a rope one) than cutting + riveting. I do miss having the getaway mast top though, don't really have an obvious option to attach a float if/when I want that.

If you drill carefully, and tap the masthead, and use screws just long enough, you can add the Getaway bob to it.

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Yet another Bob!
"Firefly" - 2012 Hobie Getaway with wings and spinnaker
"Sparky" - 1978 Sunfish (OK, it's not a Hobie, but it's a fun little craft)
Too many canoes and kayaks

Can you expand on this? Can the getaway mast float be attached to the H16 mast head without the generic adapter kit? or is there anyway to get attach the getaway mast head to the H16 mast?