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 Post subject: Found the leak
PostPosted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 8:57 am 
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Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2005 6:29 pm
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Location: High Point, NC
Upon returning from the maiden voyage, I put a couple gallons of water into the AI hull. It immediately began dripping out from the forward white plastic plug on the bottom of the hull.

The sail mast port appears to be mounted here. Before I take it all out to seal things up, can someone here direct me to a Hobie schematic of that area? If I can see how it all goes together before I remove it I might be able to save myself some time. Thanks in advance.


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 Post subject: Re: Found the leak
PostPosted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 11:27 am 
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Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2011 6:02 am
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Location: Cape Coral, FL
That's not good, there should be a permanent bronze fitting above that and it should be intergal with the plastic hull. Show a dealer.

J

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 Post subject: Re: Found the leak
PostPosted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 12:19 pm 
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Location: High Point, NC
No local dealers. Well, one about 15 miles out but they're more of a clothing shop that sells kayaks.

Image

It drips a drop about once every 3 or 4 seconds. Or, 15 or so drops a minute. Probably comes in faster than it goes out. With the boat in the water there would be more pressure involved.

I'm going to disassemble it and have a look. Just wanted a diagram to stop me from taking it all the way down if that isn't needed. Is such a thing not available?


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 Post subject: Re: Found the leak
PostPosted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 4:18 pm 
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Location: Central Coast NSW Australia
Reading of all the other issues you've had with this boat I'm amazed at your patience.
I haven't heard of leaks coming from this area and I'd be surprised if it was repairable.
The white plugs are only cosmetic and cover threads used to hold the brass fixture on the mold. I'd be guessing that the brass fitting is faulty.
This fixture is molded into the hull. You can get some idea of it from the pictures in sEs's post here:
viewtopic.php?f=75&t=36284
The 4th pic down shows the area involved. It is basically two humps of plastic covered brass. The rear hump stops the v-brace from moving. The forward hump is tapped for the V-Brace socket screw. I wonder if the socket screw has somehow punched a hole through the brass fitting? Normally the threaded holes don't go all the way through the fitting.


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 Post subject: Re: Found the leak
PostPosted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 4:56 pm 
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Location: High Point, NC
Darn. Got it apart. Hull is completely split on both sides of the mounting stud. Don't think I trust fixing this with Goop.

Image

Image

Somebody said earlier that the sailing gods didn't want me to have an AI. Maybe they were right. The boat, then the trailer and now the boat.

Then again, in for a penny, in for a pound.


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 Post subject: Re: Found the leak
PostPosted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 5:03 pm 
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Location: High Point, NC
Stringy,

Thanks for the link. I already had it apart when I read it. But thanks for taking the time to list it for me.

I have no patience. I just understand that these things happen and as much as I'd like to take this boat and blow it full of holes, I want to sail. So I sent photos to the dealer I purchased it from and will see what they can do. Being mad is natural but anger doesn't fix anything.

I'm just hoping that the darn wind will lay low for however long it takes to rectify this. That way I won't feel like I'm missing anything.

It's 102F here this afternoon. Boat is toast. Good excuse to have a cold beer, or two.


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 Post subject: Re: Found the leak
PostPosted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 5:06 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jul 19, 2010 7:53 am
Posts: 297
Location: Palm City, Florida
Quote:
Then again, in for a penny, in for a pound.

Time for some "change".

I too can't believe your patience and understanding. :( . I would have had this boat replaced by the dealer by now if that were possible. Sorry you've had all these problems. I wonder if contacting Hobie directly might not be the path to pursue at this point. Hang in there, we're all behind you.

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 Post subject: Re: Found the leak
PostPosted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 5:27 pm 
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Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2005 6:29 pm
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Location: High Point, NC
I could probably fix it with the thru-hull mount such as used by Mokai. Their boat's don't leak and they have 20+ thru-hull below the waterline fasteners.

The trouble with molded in studs like this one is that all it takes to split the hull is for a careless assembler to overtighten one of them. That appears to be what happened in this case.

I had noticed upon initial inspection that the area along the bottom there was pulled in at that particular plug. Figuring it was just a common malady for plastic molding I didn't think much of it at the time.

I have little doubt that ACK and Hobie will do whatever they need to do to take care of it. I have 4 Hobies and this is the first one I've had that was defective. So as much as I don't like it, it's just one of those little things in life that you have to grin and deal with. Not a big deal compared to a lot of other things.It's just a shame that such a minor thing can sink a boat and Hobie has to eat a hull over something this small. This can be done better, if in fact, it's really a problem. For all I know mine is the only one like this.

Here's a better photo:

Image

The dark red on the hull is where the water is now. Still dripping out. Came in a lot faster than it's going out.


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 Post subject: Re: Found the leak
PostPosted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 6:06 pm 
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Location: Terrigal NSW, Australia
If only Hobie's quality control was as fantastic as its customer support.

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 Post subject: Re: Found the leak
PostPosted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 6:11 pm 
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Location: High Point, NC
Yes, I suppose.

As I sit here having a beer and thinking about this, it just seems a shame that something so terribly minor can result in the ruination of an entire hull. There is a better way to do this.


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 Post subject: Re: Found the leak
PostPosted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 8:20 pm 
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Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2007 2:25 pm
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Location: Central Coast NSW Australia
Tom Kirkman wrote:
Yes, I suppose.

As I sit here having a beer and thinking about this, it just seems a shame that something so terribly minor can result in the ruination of an entire hull. There is a better way to do this.



I sympathise with you Tom. I felt the same when my 08, then 09 AI suffered the dreaded drivewell ledge crack. Hobie were great about it and replaced the hulls without question but it did seem such a shame.
In your case though with all the other issues it must be a relief to be getting a new hull- which I'm sure is what will happen?
Hopefully all this will be a distant memory and you'll be out enjoying your new AI soon! :)


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 Post subject: Re: Found the leak
PostPosted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 11:44 pm 
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Location: Forster, NSW, Australia
As Stringy said, maybe this is a blessing in disguise, as any question marks about the acceptability of a hull which had "unusual angles" is now moot; you need a new hull, and there is no argument about that, and I have no doubt that Hobie will respond quickly and positively.

Hang in there Tom, it will be worth it!

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 Post subject: Re: Found the leak
PostPosted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 11:55 pm 
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Joined: Tue May 18, 2010 2:31 pm
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Location: Kailua 96734
Have another beer. Check the hull serial number. There's a great chance it has the numbers "666" in it. :twisted:


Last edited by NOHUHU on Mon Jul 02, 2012 12:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: Found the leak
PostPosted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 8:06 am 
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Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2005 6:29 pm
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Location: High Point, NC
As I continue to look at this, I'm not sure I couldn't repair it with a plastic welder. The force on that area is downward from the sail mast truss. There should be no upward or fore and aft movement there.


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 Post subject: Re: Found the leak
PostPosted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 9:35 am 
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Location: Forster, NSW, Australia
Why would you even try though? The hull is a write-off with damage like that. I wouldn't want to stake my life on a repair

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2012 Tandem Island "SIC EM" with Hobie spinnaker


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