Return to Hobie.com
Hobie Forums
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 9:59 am

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 18 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Author Message
PostPosted: Wed Mar 17, 2010 12:43 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2008 6:19 am
Posts: 20
Hello All,

Even though I have never had any type of failure on my H14T other than a broken rudder pin I have become somewhat paranoid about rig failures. It is clear that any single point failure will cause me to lose the rig completely. I plan to replace all the standing rigging including all the clevis pins and shackles, but not including the shroud adjusters. But even then I have to wonder if a new component with a manufacturing defect is any safer than an old component that is worn out.

Has anyone done anything to provide backup mast support in the case of a rigging failure? The best I can think of is to use some very high strength line that also allows for some stretch. This would need to be attached to a second mast tang and also to the hulls and tramp frame in some way to take the shock load of a metal rope failing.

I am just being crazy? Either way thank you in advance for your thoughts!

Scott.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Mar 17, 2010 5:15 pm 
Offline
Hobie Approved Guru

Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2003 7:11 pm
Posts: 5197
Location: Detroit, MI
zooTown wrote:
. . . I am just being crazy?

Scott.


In a word, yes.

If you've replaced all the components, then there's little to worry about.

Even if the mast comes down, it's not the end of the world. Not like it's the wing on a hang glider, ya know? You clean up the mess, you get towed to shore (you can even sail to shore if it's downwind by just standing up on the tramp), you sort out what happened and you put it back together. Rarely does anything get seriously damaged, unless you're in big surf.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Mar 17, 2010 9:31 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2009 3:59 pm
Posts: 62
Location: Sydney, Australia
I had a bit of an epiphany last night about equipment. Yes I'm a bit slow sometimes! :D
I've got a 14 (non Turbo) and would like to eventually upgrade to the Turbo. My mainsail is also on it's last legs and probably won't last the year.

(All in Aussie dollars)
New mainsail $1300
New Turbo rigging $1000
New Turbo jib $600

Total=$2900

Cost of the average used H-14 Turbo on ebay here= $800 - $1200

So when the time comes I'm just going to buy another one and put the best parts from both together to make a real good one. For instance I'll be looking for something with the full Turbo kit, decent sails but I don't care if the hulls are soft, the mast is bent and it doesn't come with a trailer. As long as it has what I need it's cheaper than buying new.

This also made me think I shouldn't worry about breaking the mast or anything else because It's cheaper to just buy another boat and then you'll have more spare parts than you'll actually need.

Isn't devaluation crazy? A whole boat for less than the price of a new mainsail.

Of course if you live in the middle of no-where and second hand 14's are hard to come by then this system doesn't quite work. :wink:


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 6:04 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2008 6:19 am
Posts: 20
Thanks for the feedback MBounds,

I will just plan on using the plastic oar as the backup!

Scott.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 2:36 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Admiral

Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2009 5:48 pm
Posts: 276
Location: Boston Ma / Newport RI
I know a guy (Dave H. From rhode island) who does island hop day sails on the 16 and had one demast after breaking a shroud. Well, he had a spare shroud in his hull and was able to take the sails down, attach the shroud, step the mast, reraise the sails and finish the island hop! That's what being prepared is about! At the very least, keep a few small shackles, pins, line and some wire, you can always jury rig something after many failures.


Blair

_________________
Blair T

I love these calm moments before the storm, it reminds me of Beethoven...


'02 Hobie Tiger USA 1152


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 5:53 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2007 11:23 am
Posts: 599
Location: Lake Norman NC
Replace any wire that shows ANY sign of trouble Replace those plastic rudder pins with Stainless Steel (do not back up in the surf) replace rudder cams and get some sister screws
keep some of the new wonder rope in the pouch it makes a great emergency rig repair Keep extra pins and other spare parts atachet to the boat the shroud chain plate is a great place to attach these

I keep spare wire in my Hobie hell box with a hand swage tool
You can never have enough spare parts
A cordless drill rivet gun and various rivets bought from a HOBIE CAT dealer is a must


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 12:40 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Admiral

Joined: Mon Aug 18, 2003 1:15 pm
Posts: 150
I've seen MBounds dismast, drop the sail in the water and step the mast ON THE WATER, raise the sail and then go on kicking everyone's butt.

That's pretty bad ass.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 9:26 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2009 3:59 pm
Posts: 62
Location: Sydney, Australia
That is pretty bad ass. I can't imagine being able to step the mast on the water. And then how do you get around attaching the forestay solo on the water? The only way I can imagine is to use a rope as a forestay pulling it through the bridles and back to the mast.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 10:07 pm 
Offline
Hobie Approved Guru

Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2003 7:11 pm
Posts: 5197
Location: Detroit, MI
Actually, I had a little help - both times it happened.

First time, I pitchpoled as I was jibing around to get ready for a start. The mast came out of the step - and almost through the trampoline. It took two of us to right it (turtled, dismasted boats are very hard to right), and then I had to deal with the dismasting.

Once I cleaned up the mess, I got towed up to the signal boat (this was the 2005 North Americans); they cut a piece of a soda bottle for me to use as a bearing chip and pinned the forestay for me after I raised the mast. I could have tied the halyard to the mast rake adjusting line to do it myself, though. That's what I do when I rig the boat by myself. After the mast was back up, all I had to do was raise the sail again & I was ready to go for the next race - which I won.

All of this happened in 15+ kts of breeze and 2 ft. waves. This photo was taken right after the start of the second race. I'm the white sail - 52350:
Image

The very next day, I was leading a race in light-ish air, rounded the leeward mark, sheeted in and BAM! - the bow tang bolt pulled out and down came the mast. This time, the mark boat was there with a screwdriver to put the bolt back in and pin the forestay for me after I stepped the mast.

A year later, the same bolt decided to pull out again. This time, I was by myself on a small lake, with most of the shoreline rocky. I spotted a patch of beach almost dead downwind from me, so I cleaned up the mess, stood up on the trampoline to provide some windage, and steered toward the beach. Unfortunately, the bolt had completely stripped out the aluminum plate embedded in the bow, so there was no way to restep the mast. Fortunately, the property owner was kind enough to tow me back to the launch area. I ended up epoxying the bolt in and thought I was set. No such luck.

In 2007 (at the North Americans in New York), I was leading the 1st race in 15+ kts when the same bolt pulled out again. It took a long time for me to get towed to shore (a lot of people were in trouble) and I missed the second race because of it. That probably cost me the championship.

This was about 2 minutes before it happened:
Image

and this is about 45 minutes later - me on the beach fixing it (along with the other casualties):
Image

I have since reinforced the the bows of my 14 under the deck lip so that the bridle attaches through the lip, like it does on the 16. This is the way new 14s are built.

Bottom line - dismasting is not the end of the world - especially on a 14.


Last edited by MBounds on Sun Apr 11, 2010 6:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri Apr 09, 2010 9:24 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Admiral

Joined: Mon Aug 18, 2003 1:15 pm
Posts: 150
Dang, Matt, you're killing my image of you. You were my hero for a little while!

There is one reinforcement I added to my 14. The boats in the above pictures with the Hooters practically broke the trampoline side beams when under pressure, so I added a wire and an anchor bolt like the 16s to reinforce the area. It was an easy fix and I think it was better and safer over all.

Image

If the image doesn't show, the URL is: http://www.thebeachcats.com/index.php?m ... emId=17810


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 5:59 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2009 3:59 pm
Posts: 62
Location: Sydney, Australia
Mbounds unfortunately your pics aren't loading. We get a username and password prompt from an FTP server when loading up the page.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 6:10 pm 
Offline
Hobie Approved Guru

Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2003 7:11 pm
Posts: 5197
Location: Detroit, MI
xnomad wrote:
Mbounds unfortunately your pics aren't loading. We get a username and password prompt from an FTP server when loading up the page.

Fixed it.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 3:50 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2009 7:28 pm
Posts: 107
Location: Washington, DC
MBounds wrote:
Actually, I had a little help - both times it happened.


Brilliant action, story, and post, Matt!

I didn't know you were a Hobie 14 sailor. For some reason, I thought you focused on the 18. Had my first experience on an H14 yesterday. Had a blast and would say I'm hooked!

_________________
-Roland
Sailing vintage Hobie Cats in West Africa.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 6:08 am 
Offline
Hobie Approved Guru

Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2003 7:11 pm
Posts: 5197
Location: Detroit, MI
Africat wrote:
MBounds wrote:
Actually, I had a little help - both times it happened.


Brilliant action, story, and post, Matt!

I didn't know you were a Hobie 14 sailor. For some reason, I thought you focused on the 18. Had my first experience on an H14 yesterday. Had a blast and would say I'm hooked!


I own a 14, 16, and 17. I used to own a Tiger. I've sailed / raced almost every boat Hobie's ever made except the 21, but I haven't sailed an 18 in about 30 years.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 2:05 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2009 7:28 pm
Posts: 107
Location: Washington, DC
MBounds wrote:
Africat wrote:
I own a 14, 16, and 17. I used to own a Tiger. I've sailed / raced almost every boat Hobie's ever made except the 21, but I haven't sailed an 18 in about 30 years.


I must have been thinking of the Tiger when I wrote 18. I was actually going to write "18-footers," to include the H18, Tiger, and Wild Cat that I assume you haven't sailed yet, but we would all enjoy trying out.

Good to know you've got a nice collection of vintage Hobies. I definitely want to fix up my club's two H14s, which need a lot of TLC, over the coming months. The five H16s we have need some maintenance as well. Your comments have always been valuable. Now, I'll be looking for your tried and true wisdom even more than before! :D

PS: There's an H21 here as well, which we are going to take out on an overnight "raid" two weekends from now. It was actually sailed down by a couple from Spain via Gibraltar, Morocco, and Mauritania, all the way to Senegal. When they tried to sail the H21 back to Spain, they realized that they were never going to make it all the way back against the strong Northerly winds. So they abandoned the 21 here in Dakar, and took a plane back to Spain instead. Their loss, our club's gain! :P

_________________
-Roland
Sailing vintage Hobie Cats in West Africa.


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 18 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Jump to:  
© Hobie Cat Company. All rights reserved.
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group