I was working half day at the office today (overtime) but I got some stuff done once I finaly got home.
The last few days I have been thinking a lot about the mast tip issues.
So today I messured and decided on a fix. The problem with the sail getting cought on the halyard bugs me!! To partially furl and then come about might work if just sailing but when fishing/trolling theres to much other stuff going on. Kinda weird really that Hobie accepts this problem without making the problem visible before selling the product?
Well anyway I decided to make an extension (~ 20") of the mast and then firmly fix the tip rotator ontop. This will lift the halyard so it clears the sail. The extension will be made from carbon tubes that I will modify/taper to properly fit the top 12" of the mast. I ordered the carbon tubes and some carbon fiber mat today. So I will get this done in the next few weeks. Sadly this delay might force me to wait with the test of the automatic inflatable mast float until spring arrives.
Of course I want to make the test with the new modified mast tip mounted. (There is a lot of work involved setting up the test so I want everything spot on and also sacrifising a70gr co2 cartridge costs $20).
Only time can tell if we get the chance to do the trial before winter arrives but our chances look prety slim at the moment.
This little extra mast tip project will set me back about $70 plus some extra work of course but I figure it will be worth the extra effort to make this work as I want it to.
The tip rotator will have to support the mast float, some navigations lights, radar reflector and also in the future a furling jib/genua that I am planning.
So making the mast tip / and rotator really durable and solid seems like a good investment to avoid future trouble.
Ahh speaking about navigation lights... I slowly started the work on that issue today.
Apart from the white stern light on the top of the riser bar plus the combo red/gren light up front there will be a white 360 top light and also a red and a green 360 top light. I have combined theese tops lights with the radar-reflector.
The red and green lights just fitted inside the clear plastic tube for the reflector if I sacrifised a section of the reflector. Just perfect!!
I will add a few plastic discs to mount the lines thru the light/reflector-combo and als the white top light will be screwed on at the top end.
The white top light and the red/green top lights will be indivually controlled from the rear seat.
The combo will be hoisted on the starboard side of the mast and the mast float goes on the port side.
In good weather, good visibility they will be stored under the front hatch.
I drilled and mounted the cleat for the furling line. It sits very comfortable just outside the rudder handle.
On the other side I also mounted a cleat facing backwards to make it possible to pull out slack line of the dispenser if that is needed to stop it from winding it in.
I will also move the main sheet automatic cleat from the aka cross bar to a position just in front of the starboard handle rail. This will make it easier and more convieniant to acess and give better control when sitting in the rear seat.
Bilge pump... yes got that done aswell.... hmm well I did a quick fix anyway.
I temporarily mounted it in the back just using a piece of foam and som bungies. Still sits pretty nicely but once I know the best/correct position I will make a better fixed pemanent mount.
So... and what about the ... yes... the transducer mounts??
Nope! Sorry! LOL!
Some things never seem to get done...
Tomorrow maybe!!??