Just a quick update on this...
I managed to get a smaller camera with a flash deeper into the hull to get a better close up shot of what earlier seemed to be an internal crack, and it's not, I was wrong, it's just swarf. I'm sorry to have misrepresented this and have edited my earlier posting to correct it (I've emailed my dealer already). Here's a photo of it after I moved it with my finger tips
The external small cracks I reported earlier in this thread are however very real and I'm waiting for Hobie Europe to get back to my dealer on this issue.
Matt made the following suggestion for what I could do about this (
http://www.hobiecat.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=75&t=52305#p239940)
"You could goop the inside of the tube exit point. That would strengthen and leak proof the area"
While I very much appreciate the suggestion, I have 3 concerns with this solution..
1. It's very hard for me to even get at the hole from the inside as it's at arm's length and I can't see what I'm doing at the same time, so I have my doubts about being able to apply an effective structural "goop" type solution to that area.
2. How would a structural"goop" type solution effect the serviceability of the rudder line tubes? Obviously I'd still need to remove them and insert new ones if/when a cable breaks, and it seems to me that this solution would lock the cables in place.
3. I have enormous respect for your valuable contributions to this forum, Matt, but I have to say that I really don't feel I should have to be the one who has to remedy this issue on a brand new, just unwrapped hull