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PostPosted: Sat Apr 06, 2013 8:37 am 
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Hi, Just wondered if anyone else has experienced the front crossbeam ball-race fail allowing the plastic bearings to fall into the mast well and/or become lost.
I only noticed this when out for the first time this year when the mast jammed whilst furling. I later found there were only 15 out of the original 24 bearings left in the ball-race.
The boat is a 1 year old TI which has had 20 to 25 hours sailing in the English Channel. Boat has been sailed in winds of force 2 to force 4 occasionally 5, slight to moderate swell.
The boat has had PTFE dry lube and white silicon grease applied to the bearings since day one.
Boat is always washed after use and has always been slip launched (no beach sand).
I checked the bolts to the ball-race but they were all fully home.
Just waiting to hear from Hobie as boat still in warranty.
Ron


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 11, 2013 9:15 am 
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This has been an issue in the past. If the plate is tweaked or the screws and nuts are not snug... a gap is possible and the furling bearings can exit the race. Your dealer can either correct it or get replacements through warranty.

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PostPosted: Fri Apr 12, 2013 2:20 am 
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Location: Canberra, Australia
HI RSMoonlight,

I too have experienced this problem & I have to say that Shane from Hobie in Adelaide was fantastic in helping me resolve the problem. If the screws in the mast cup are too tight, then the cup (containing the bearings) can distort & the bearings can fall out. Conversely, if the screws are too loose, the same thing will happen. Anyway, screw tension did not resolve my problem. To cut a long story short, I ended up gently filing the mating edges of the cups to reduce the spacing & hence hold the bearings in. I haven't had a problem since.

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Rob,

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PostPosted: Fri Apr 12, 2013 3:32 am 
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Location: Forster, NSW, Australia
I too lost my balls :lol: and bought a new set, presuming that my 80+ outings since June have worn the balls down. However, the new set have dropped a couple after only 6 sails. I am going to remove the top piece and gently file it level.

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2012 Tandem Island "SIC EM" with Hobie spinnaker


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PostPosted: Sat Apr 13, 2013 12:41 pm 
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Thanks to everyone for taking time out to reply.
It's reassuring to know I am not the first to have this problem.
Sounds like you guys simply replaced the ball-race and bearings.
As far as I am aware the EU importer in Holland is sending a complete crossbeam replacement (however they are still waiting for confirmation on this from Hobie).
Hi Nic, When I checked the ball race bolts for tightness they only moved quarter of a turn at most some none at all. So can't really say if they were too tight or not (not knowing how tight they should in the first place that is).
Hi Tony, That's not very reassuring to here the new ones dropped out after just 6 sails. Did the replacements come with any torque-down/lubrication info or was it just left to guesswork on how tight the bolts should be? It could be that the plate the ball-race was bolted to is/was warped (this maybe why Hobie are sending me a whole cross-beam and not just a bearing set) there again could be a duff set/batch supplied to Hobie, who knows.
I am disappointed on the failure given the near to £6000 cost of the boat (with a few extras).
Having said that the boat is brilliant and I would buy it again. It's a real head-turner as there are very few here in the UK.
l shall update you all when the replacement arrives.
Regards Ron


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PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 10:49 am 
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Hi Rob,

See my latest post.

Regards Ron


Last edited by RSMoonlight on Tue Apr 16, 2013 1:42 am, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 4:41 pm 
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Location: Forster, NSW, Australia
The balls just came in a clear plastic bag. I believe the balls fall out during transport rather than while sailing, so I cut a small section of pool noodle (the "uber-noodle" with the hole in the middle) which is a nice squeeze into the mast holder when the mast is removed.

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2012 Tandem Island "SIC EM" with Hobie spinnaker


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PostPosted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 11:47 pm 
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tonystott wrote:
The balls just came in a clear plastic bag. I believe the balls fall out during transport rather than while sailing, so I cut a small section of pool noodle (the "uber-noodle" with the hole in the middle) which is a nice squeeze into the mast holder when the mast is removed.

Hi Tony
Good idea Tony I shall ehmmmm borrow a slice of noodle from my local pool when I next take the kids swimming!
My boat is kept at the local yacht club close to the water so does not go on a car roof. It's stored at the club in a method recommended by Hobie.
You mentioning loosing bearings whilst on the car roof got me thinking. When I picked up the boat after purchase I had a 4 hour drive back home. Never really checked the number of balls in the race on removal from the car or into storage at my local yacht club or subsequently for that matter. I only noticed the missing bearings on return to shore first time this year because the mast started jamming on furling. After the incident I checked Hobie photos of bearings and they seem to be continuous around the race. As far as I can remember there has always been one maybe two bearings missing I simply thought this was the norm, it's not the sort of thing you would pick up on or be on the lookout for when you pick up a new boat.
I'm not blaming the dealer (or importer as he simply forwards package to the dealer) we just don't know when the problem started.
Regards Ron


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PostPosted: Tue Apr 16, 2013 1:39 am 
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nicnrob wrote:
HI RSMoonlight,

I too have experienced this problem & I have to say that Shane from Hobie in Adelaide was fantastic in helping me resolve the problem. If the screws in the mast cup are too tight, then the cup (containing the bearings) can distort & the bearings can fall out. Conversely, if the screws are too loose, the same thing will happen. Anyway, screw tension did not resolve my problem. To cut a long story short, I ended up gently filing the mating edges of the cups to reduce the spacing & hence hold the bearings in. I haven't had a problem since.

Hi Rob,

How long did it take for your Shane to send you a replacement part. It'll be 3 weeks this Friday waiting to hear if the part will be replaced under warranty.

I might come back to you for finer detail on the filing aspect if/when the replacement arrives.

Regards Ron


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PostPosted: Tue Apr 16, 2013 2:11 am 
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Location: Canberra, Australia
Hi Ron,

Shane helped me fix the problem within a week. We pulled the balls & cages off another (older) TI. I ended up using the cages from my TI & the largest balls from both sets. I used Vernier callipers to measure each ball. However even this didn't fix the problem. Lightly filing down the mating faces of the cages to slightly reduce the gap fixed the problem. I think I only removed 0.5mm.

8 months down the track, no problems. I also use plenty of dry Silicon lubricant in the ball race & base of the mast step & as Tony has said, I also insert a pool noodle into the mast step when trailering.

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PostPosted: Tue Apr 16, 2013 4:58 am 
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Location: Central Coast NSW Australia
Follow the links in this older post for details on filing etc
viewtopic.php?f=75&t=33198

...and make sure if the mast isn't in then pool noodle is!!!


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PostPosted: Tue Apr 16, 2013 6:48 am 
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stringy wrote:
Follow the links in this older post for details on filing etc
viewtopic.php?f=75&t=33198

...and make sure if the mast isn't in then pool noodle is!!!

Brilliant Link Stringy thanks and thanks to you too Rob.
Amazing to read Kevin McCarthy's quote almost identical to mine!
I now have a load of info/tips to go on, just got to wait for Hobie to get things moving.

Matt Miller Hi,
Should I be doing anything else to speed up delivery of replacement parts (first club race of the season is 28th April). All the other club members have real yachts and find it a bit of a talking point and fun when I turn up in the TI.
I got the boat from Hobie UK based at Poole in Dorset UK last year, they got it from the main EU importer based in Holland. You can reply by a pm if it's politically sensitive. Hope I'm doing things right as I have just joined the Forum.
Kind Regards Ron
ps I'm desperate to get back on the water as I've almost dried out! :(


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 8:59 am 
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Should be no question ... it should be under warranty.

Contact Hobie Kayak Europe directly if the dealer is not getting information or parts for you:
http://www.hobie-kayak.com/

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Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
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Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 8:17 am 
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mmiller wrote:
Should be no question ... it should be under warranty.

Contact Hobie Kayak Europe directly if the dealer is not getting information or parts for you:
http://www.hobie-kayak.com/

Hi Matt nice to make contact for the first time.
Can't be an easy task answering all the posts in a diplomatic manner, to quote your first President 'you can please some of the people some of the time but not all of the people all of the time' how right he was.
Good news is I received an email from my dealer this morning Steve Beard of Hobie UK a great guy that a full crossbeam is on it's way via Holland (pity parts can't go direct to Steve).
As Steve is so far away I shall have to install the replacement myself I have to say I'm a bit apprehensive, however I have been reading up on how to on the Forum. I trust me installing the replacement myself shall not invalidate the warranty.
Kind Regards and Thanks again
Ron


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 8:58 am 
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Odd choice of replacement parts to send. Way overkill. This is not a crossbar issue, so you can strip the bearing plate and balls off the replacement crossbar and install onto your beam. That would be the simplest and easiest solution.

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Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)


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