Bought a Hobie 14

congrats!
I will answer the ones i know:

should there be a bead of mastic where the frame enters the hull thru the deck?

- marine grade silicone is probably the best here. (isn't mastic used mostly on ac duct work?)

how can i tell if my standing rigging is worn

- any broken strands is the first major sign of wear. look for rust at the base or thimble, any strong kinks in the wire(s) will become weak spots - generally speaking, i would replace all standing rigging on any boat i purchase that couldn't prove to me the rigging was less than a few years old.

I would prefer to spend the $100 bucks. than demast (esp on the beach where other people and property are around)

should there be a bead of mastic where the frame enters the hull thru the deck

I use 3M 5200

how can i tell if i have adjustable rudders or not

As far as I know, all Hobie 14's have adjustable rudders

should the pintle interfere with the drain plugs?

Yes, the pintles do interfere with the drain plug. I have been told this was an attempt to use the pintle as a safety device to keep the plug from coming out if it was loose. When you install the plug, just lift the pintle/rudder system as high as you can and you should be able to install the plugs just fine. You will get pretty good at it after a few tries.

Good advice from MN3 on rigging. If you are unsure, replace.

Edited by klppurdy on Aug 12, 2013 - 09:10 AM.

You'll have to jiggle the system and push the rudder pin up out of the way to installl/remove drain plugs. Assuming you are referring to rudder RAKE adjustment, the adjustable castings began somewere around '82. On adjustable upper castings, you'll see a bolt head on top. The bolt goes through a slot and is attached to a plate underneath. Adjustment is made by loosening the bolt, sliding the plate for proper rake, then tightening the bolt. Instead of the plate, non-adjustable castings have a fixed rolled pin, the ends of which can be seen on the sides of the upper casting.

Adjustment of rudder ALIGNMENT is another story.

Edited by rattlenhum on Aug 12, 2013 - 12:20 PM.

rattlenhum wrote: On adjustable upper castings, you'll see a bolt head on top. The bolt goes through a slot and is attached to a plate underneath. .

thanks guys, that is just what i need to know about the upper castings. i have adjustable ones. i see no broken threads on my standing rigging, nor do i see any signs of staining or rust. i asked the question about the mastic as i see the residue of some sort of silicon there and wonder if it should be there or not. i read that the hulls should "breathe". where do they breathe from? i shortened my pintle a little so as it would not interfere as much with the drain plug.
thanks again
jon
ps, if i can figure out how to post pictures i will try to post pictures of what it was like when i found it and how it has changed so far....

Edited by longjonsilver on Aug 14, 2013 - 06:48 AM.

Info on posting pics:

http://www.thebeachcats.com/faq/Forums/pictures-in-forum-faq

My guess is that the H14 vents are the same as the H16....small tubes that go all the way through the foam plugs inside the front pylons. To promote ventilation, one should always remove the drain plugs when not sailing. To promote floatation, one should always replace the drain plugs before sailing.

Edited by rattlenhum on Aug 15, 2013 - 11:46 AM.