O SEGREDO FROTA

Coastrat, what size rivets are the right size for the mast base?

did you use the aluminum rivets that Murray's sells or did you find some stainless ones?

i used the ones murrays recommended. they were 3/16" by 1/2" panhead i believe, have to check that. if the old holes are corroded or wallered i would up grade to the 1/4" stainless. when i did my new mast/stepping bases i also re did my travelor base with the same 3/16" rivets. turns out that my old travelor base holes were wallered/corroded so the new rivets promptly came out on the way to horn island. i upgraded them to the 1/4" ss with a little longer pull than 1/2". i'm considering redoing the mast/step bases with the 1/4" also but they seem to be tight so i'll let sleeping dogs lie. the el chepo hand rivetors don't quite cut it for stainless, i borrowed my brother in laws heavy duty gun and it made it an easy job.

Since the mast step base is aluminum, you will want to isolate stainless rivets. (dissimilar metals and all that) Tef-Gel is well thought of for the application.

hey tami, tef-gel...what is it/how does it work/where can i get some? i am interested. are all the original rivets aluminum or ss? they drilled out pretty easy... thanks!

It's not the best thing to install dissimilar metals, because there is a galvanic (I believe that's the term) reaction which occurs, and corrosion (known in engineering circles as "white stuff") is accelerated.

So you isolate the fastener with some sort of goo. Tef-gel is highly recommended for this. I think it's at West Marine, just do a Google search for "tef-gel".

Just dip the rivet in the goo and install as usual. I expect a bit should squeeze out the sides, just like you were sealing with silicone. Which silicone will work but not nearly as well as Tef-Gel which is specifically designed for the application.

here's their website/info page
http://www.tefgel.com/contain.php?param=tefgel_infor

edit: I forgot to answer your other question. Depending on the make, there will be stainless or aluminum rivets, I've seen both. If you think about it, that joint really only takes strain when the mast is raised or lowered. otherwise it's in compression. So being bloody-minded about the fasteners isn't really that necessary.

Edited by tami on Jun 30, 2011 - 07:34 AM.

thats what i thought...the travelor base is another story. will get some tef gel next time at west...thanks!!!!!

Coastrat, take a look at these pics for me.. I'm trying to figure out if the 18.2 and 19 rudder castings are any different than the 16 and 18.

Besides the fact that mine appear to be backwards.. port on stbd side and vise versa.(They only go on one way w/ tiller stick in a usable position, one of those previous owner kinks i need to iron out).

castings are the same(parts list) but pintles, arms, blades are different. the "p" on the castings is on the exterior sides, so you should swap them...

anywhoo, will be at fairhope yacht club tuesday sailing the blue ribbon with some friends and my brother is up from brazil with the fam. look out!

coastrat wrote: castings are the same(parts list) but pintles, arms, blades are different. the "p" on the castings is on the exterior sides, so you should swap them...

anywhoo, will be at fairhope yacht club tuesday sailing the blue ribbon with some friends and my brother is up from brazil with the fam. look out!

yea, had a feeling about that. Not sure if you noticed, but in the past week or two, prindle parts at murray's went through the ROOF. The mast base i bought about 2 weeks ago alone went from $35 to $57. I'm pretty sure the price on the rudder castings went up significantly too. Mine are kinda wallowed out so thats on my short list.

Thanks!

what's up with your castings? mayby there is another solution, tony(the big red head dude that works with me) is a damn genious(no kidding), he might save you some big time cash. we call him "majicman" for good reason! ha can fix ANYTHING: he's like rainman with wrenches.

Try shimming up the blades. By this I mean cut some circles out of milk jugs plastic and put 'em between the blade and the castings

here
http://home.earthlink.net/~mattson/hobie/archives/v1-i7/feature1.htm

mine are pretty wallowed out

Thanks for the link, Tami. As mentioned in the article... Steering off the beach is one of the hardest things for me(using sails to steer) and i generally end up using the rudders, but not locked in.(probably what led to the wallowed out castings). Lately we have been trying to walk the boat out deep enough where the rudders lock in first try.

Edited by matt922 on Jul 15, 2011 - 11:43 PM.

yours look great compared to mine! if there is some slack you can shim up with milk jug/nylon fender washers, did wonders for me...you can still steer in shallow water just de-power the boat(travelor out and sails loose) just don't go backwards with the rudders down. when beaching in shallow water with the wind coming from off shore, turn into the wind when the rudders pop up and lock them all the way up quickly then hop off boat and grab windward bow and back the boat to the beach. your castings are fine(until they break!), save that cash for school supplies(chicks and beer)!

I am amazed at the things I read on this forum. Either I am really ignorant or yall make sailing too hard. I always just thought thst you used your rudders untill you got deep enough snd then locked them down when you could. Now I learn I should use the sails. Tomorrow Area 51

Nah i just think too hard, ignoring obvious short cuts(beer).

all hands on deck...general sortie call for saturday...10-15mph nnw winds not to mention races @ osyc...fix those boats and come out and break 'em!!!

might make it out tomorrow in gulfport, who knows. I've been trying to get out for the past two months to no avail.

looks like a perfect ship island day...come on matt! you can tow me in case the new bridal wires don't hold up my mast! or we can raft up and use the booms and jibs to sail home if both mast fall!!! i'll be at the spot around 11ish. if if's too rough then we will stay around the bay/osyc. forecast 15-20mph-2-4'seas....perfect!

weatherman teased us...no small craft warning as advertised...so stayed around the bay and watched katrina regatta. at least 19 boats at quick count. winds were shifty w-n mostly around 6-8 mph with sparse gust to 12-15, about 100 degrees and no clouds-brutal. did get an upclose with duly's "gunboat"...wow, kevlar hulls, all carbon fiber mast-beams-boom-spin chute-tillers-etc.. totally rigged weighing in at around 225lbs...looked like it would fly off of the beach if a gust came. duly still learning the boat so now's the time to beat him! sorry we missed you at deer island rob and duly, was starving and needed to see our "dolly pardon" style waitress @ the fillin' station-love that place :-O . ready for the sept,oct,nov winds to show up..oh yeah, learned that bimare is pronounced BE MAR RAY...fancy I talion name!

yea, we just hung on the island a while, jay and tami came up in their powerboat, then andrew showed up in his and we all kinda stood around picking apart issues w/Duly's boat... this ain't right, that aint' right... etc etc... I mean hey, when you're the rockstar in the limelight... gotta expect some critics... nah.. that boat is amazing.... then the winds held and we flew a hull down the channel, around the bridge, and back to shore... a great late afternoon sail...

Three cheers for Dolly, Hip Hip Hooray, Hip Hip Hooray, Hip Hip YEOOOOOWZAH, BOOM SHACK-A-LOCKA, GOOD GODT, JEEZE-LA-WEEZ, Shiver-me-timbers. :biglove: Gravity has been defied in Biloxi. Thanks be to God.

there is hooters the restaurant...and there is the restaurant with hooters...i think she likes us!!! we should give her even more money next time :banana:

agreed :fallinginlove: Pardon my dolly, Dolly. :liar: $ can buy happiness.

blarg. i really need mast up(beach) storage. osyc or lbyc? gyc is too far in the harbor for my liking.

made it to my normal launch spot and some dumbass beach patron was parked right in our little 8-10ft slab of concrete. (no parking zone).

Edited by matt922 on Sep 17, 2011 - 04:02 PM.

Matt, if you think GYC is too far in the harbor, you'd be real unhappy with LBYC, which is even deeper in its harbor albeit the beach is very quiet and nice

Edited by tami on Sep 18, 2011 - 06:17 PM.

i'll be on the coast monday for some morning business, bringing the blue ribbon and hope to do some sailing if the weather holds. might be solo if crew chickens out...if anyone can wiggle out of work/school(matt), bring your boat or ride the mighty blue ribbon! won't stay out to late, gonna pick up the wife from work on way home...give me a hollar @ six -o 1 three o seven-5 eight five 5!

Maaaaaan, Monday is my toughest schedule bud. Class from 9-1 and again from 6-10. 🙁

tami wrote: Matt, if you think GYC is too far in the harbor, you'd be real unhappy with LBYC, which is even deeper in its harbor albeit the beach is very quiet and niceEdited by tami on Sep 18, 2011 - 06:17 PM.

Yeah, i had a feeling.. i don't go that way very often so i figured i'd throw it out there anyways. Thanks for the heads up though!

After looking at the dues for intermediate membership(age 18-26) and beach permit at osyc, it doesn't seem too bad when you consider the storage/convenience of mast up/on beach wheels.

and the other OSYC intangibles... and the pool.... after a sail... and the shower... after the pool... and the refreshments available... and the cheerful sailor company always hanging around.... and the few paranoid folks who are always making sure the boats are secured... there's always beachwheels around, and someone to lend you a hand... and trade a few stories with... Oh BTW... we're doing another (bring your own stuff... casual just show up and go.....) horn island camping trip on octber 1st... a few cats and a few powerboats... dep OSYC prob about 10 or 11am....

Edited by robpatt on Sep 19, 2011 - 07:54 AM.

Coastrat, hope you have a great day on the tramp Monday. Are you up to sailing this Saturday (9/24). This lady friend :girl: wants to go, but she may not be able to help set up and lift da Sideways. Looks like winds out of the north, good day for cruisin da coast. :catchchicken:

saturday is good for me, didn't sail today...so i'm dieing!!! glad to hear your still hungry like the wolf...thought you were joining a monastery...the front should be through by then. mayby you can turn her on by scaring the crap out of her!!!...that or just get her loaded :kiffer2: