Hi, I searched hi and lo but finally had to post to find this... I'll introduce myself at the end of the post, but business first:
I want to make a gin pole, and I would like to have a nice cradle of wood (1" X 10" pieces) that are cut to fit the profile of the teardrop mast shape. My boat is stored at a friends house, so cut and sweat and sand and saw trial and error is not really feasible. Hence my request:
Does anyone have an accurate profile of a 1983 Hobie 16 mast that I could scale and print out and use as a cutting template?
I thought about getting a contour gauge ... but only as a last resort.
Now, someone is wondering if I carefully considered how I could possible slide something bulky onto the mast if it it has a cutout shaped like the mast profile... but I'll just have to make a youtube video to show you my idea.
Now, the introduction: My name is Chad May and I worked one summer on Percy Priest lake for a wonderful couple of people (Janey and Jack) who were martial artists and also avid windsurfers... this was 1986. They rented windsurfers, sunfish, and a couple of hobies, and I got to use the equipment when it wasn't rented. Well, I was hooked on sailing. But only got to sail a 14' Hobie a few times on vacation in Florida after that summer. After years of dreaming of sailing and soaring, I'm finally in a position to do both. I live near Old Hickory Lake at present, and found a 1983 Hobie 16 on Craigslist for $1500. It doesn't look as though it has been in the water more than a few hours... so I bought it. I'm also active in hang gliding, and now I have something to do when the winds are too stiff for flying. And I have taken my boys sailing, and have many a passenger lined-up in only 3 weeks of owning the boat.
I have dropped the mast twice.
Yes. I dread stepping. Or should I call it dropping? Pretty bad for only having been sailing 4 times with it. Time for a gin pole. The first time I forgot to put the pin in, the second time the pin came out on its own! No harm to person, and none I can see to boat, either.
The trick is to be able to rig/derig while conversing with my teenage boys, swatting insects, monitoring cell phone, and wondering if I remembered to turn-off the coffee pot
I'm really anticipating my first chance to fly a hull. It might be just the event to get my kids torn away from gaming.
Well, if anyone else in the area wants to go sailing, or has always dreamed of flying, pm me.
Oh yeah, almost forgot, and if you have a profile for me, I'll take it.
By the way, I must say that in reading this forum, I'm impressed by the people here, and also by Hobie as a company. I wish this was more the rule and not the exception. It's hard to describe exactly, but just in providing this forum, and the way they respond to their users, I get the impression they aren't greedy. I hope someday to show my thanks by buying a few Hobie toys from my local dealer.
All the best to you all and I hope everyone gets lots of water time this year.
Dacron Power!
- Chad May