Hobie sport mast tang location

I am converting my 17 to main and jib. I noticed in the Hobie Sport Assembly manual that the mast tang is a rivet on style vs the single bolt version on my mast. Where does this style tang get located (using the interface between the aluminum mast and composite tip as a reference point) ?

I was assuming I would remove the single hole original tang and rivet the new one with the hole for the side stays at the same level as the original.

I plan to reinstall the bolt from the 'stock" tang as I believe it helps hold the composite tip in place.

Any info or help would be appreciated.

The "single bolt" tang was an original 17 part - there's no real need to replace it when doing the Sport conversion.

The riveted tang is the same part on the 16 - one of Matt Miller's first jobs at Hobie Cat was to consolidate / minimize the parts differences across models, and this was one of the changes (the 17 shares many parts with the 16 and 18).

The rivets do a fine job of holding the 17's Comptip in, just as they do with the 16. The only reason to re-use the bolt would be to fill the hole left by its removal (which is just as easily filled with epoxy or some other lightweight filler). I'd be inclined not to re-use it just to get rid of the weight (not overall weight, but weight up high on the mast that impedes righting).

Correct. Mark the mast at the bottom of the current shackle hole. Place the new one and line up to the mark on the bottom of the new hole.



Epoxy the tip in place then rivet on the tang. Do not use the bolt.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Thanks for the fast responce.

Not sure how hard it will be to remove the comp tip (after removing the tang and bolt). I assume hold the aluminum part rigid and "wiggle" the comp tip to walk it out of the mast.
If I can't get it out, I'll assume someone since 1989 epoxied it in place, I'll rivet on the new tang and fill the bolt hole.