mickeymouse wrote:
pro10is wrote:
I'm going to work on my gas strut design next boating season as I feel that it has great potential. I'm going to see if I can come up with a way of installing it on a TI with inexpensive parts and a design that anyone can easily copy.
Gas struts are ubiquitous these days and used for all kinds of engineering solutions. They're readily available in all kinds of sizes and inexpensive.
I was hoping Hobie would do this, but they don't apparently seem to be interested in improving the TI much more lately and have even dropped the AI from production.
I only own an AI these days but still interested see how this idea develops.
I replace the plastic bolts with Stainless & nylock nuts in rough conditions - as well as keep out lines.
You might want to rethink the stainless bolt. It will never shear off, so either the aka will collapse right there where the shear pin boss is welded, or you’ll rip the hull-mounted ball-stud out which = a hole in your hull that turn into a crack.
Regarding the gas struts, unless the whole shebang is stainless steel, they will corrode and eventually catastrophically fail. Simple is always better, so you might want to see my idea about 3 or 4 posts previously — I suggest accomplishing what you are proposing with rope and a strong bungee strap. These items will not rust and any wear is plainly visible, it’s light, it’s cheap, and is available at any hardware store, truck stop, or marina.