Hobie Forums

I'm wanting to replace the shockcord for the front Trapeze. However, unless I'm missing something I have to remove the endcaps from the crossbar to do so.

Can the shockcord be replaced without removing these endcaps?

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1999 Hobie 20, Sail #1005
2001 Hobie 16, "Spirit of 76 sails" #18515. Sold
1981 Hobie 18, Dead!

No other way to do it, but removing and replacing the end caps isn't as big of a deal as it might appear. Drill out the rivets and the end caps will come off pretty easily. Maybe little bit of prying involved. I tied the shock cord to the ends of battens and was able to push the cord from one end to the other. Here's a link to a diagram I found on the Mariner Sails web site: http://shop.mariner-sails.com/Hobie-20- ... s_c470.htm. The end caps don't bear any weight so you can use aluminum rivets to secure them back in place. Aluminum rivets can be pulled with inexpensive riveters such as those found at Home Depot or Lowes.

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Mark Van Doren
H16 Seabreeze #112205 (Richard Petty Signature Edition)
H14T Fantasia #47787
San Juan 28

That's good to hear, I was worried this might involve having to remove the crossbar from the boat first.

Thanks for the info MVD

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1999 Hobie 20, Sail #1005
2001 Hobie 16, "Spirit of 76 sails" #18515. Sold
1981 Hobie 18, Dead!

I use 3/16" drill bits to drill out the rivets. Some people use 1/4", but I use the smaller size because I worry about making a mistake and inadvertently enlarging the hole. You'll basically drill until the exterior part of the rivet, the "flange" maybe you'd call it, is cut free from the portion that's down in the crossbar, then you push the lower part through. A phillips head screw driver should work nicely. When you take the end caps off, tie a rag onto the end of a batten or some other pole and push it through the crossbar to sweep it out.

_________________
Mark Van Doren
H16 Seabreeze #112205 (Richard Petty Signature Edition)
H14T Fantasia #47787
San Juan 28

You actually run more of a risk oversizing the hole when you use a drill which is the same diameter as the rivet than you do using a larger drill. If you use the 3/16" drill, you will have a harder time knowing when you've drilled through just the head of the rivet. With the larger drill (I usually use anywhere from 1/14" up to 1/2") the rivet head will be fully removed from the rivet body. Anyway, its best to have several drill sizes available.

sm

Nice tip, thanks.

_________________
Mark Van Doren
H16 Seabreeze #112205 (Richard Petty Signature Edition)
H14T Fantasia #47787
San Juan 28

I am probably too late, but you can also sew the new shock cord to the old shock cord end to end and just pull it through. Use dental floss or some other thin/strong thread.