Hey y'all, I wanted to start off by thanking everyone who has posted 'cause it has helped me a lot! I am new to Cats, and as it is not big in our area, having to learn everything solo...
I have looked but can't quite find an answer to a problem I've got- I have inherited an '87 H16, and it is/was in rough shape! (I NOW know why it was a gift!). Well, the Mast Step threads are stripped, and the Dolphin striker slides up and down through the crossbar and Step! If left as is, it would provide almost no support for the forward support and would damage the Mast Base. The Step is loose on the cross bar and has to be re-riveted anyway. Who knows what it looks like under there!!
Here's my dilemma: is there a way to repair the Step, or should I buy new? and if I buy new, should I replace the old Step (the mast base is in ok shape) with a new one or get the Nacra 1 1/2" ball and socket setup? (as seen at Murray's catalog) Any likes/dislikes for the prindle half ball socket?
Thanks in advance!
Buying new from Hobie will be an arm & leg. Very difficult to argue dolphin rod out of striker in order to replace step. And you don't want Nacra or Prindle. Easiest is to replace entire front crossbar with used one. Shipping about $120 UPS. I have them. Pete 909-800-5237
prindle pete
pbegle wrote: Buying new from Hobie will be an arm & leg. Very difficult to argue dolphin rod out of striker in order to replace step. And you don't want Nacra or Prindle. Easiest is to replace entire front crossbar with used one. Shipping about $120 UPS. I have them.
Truth.
I had good luck getting the old steps off of 2 boats and a new-used step on. Seemed to be no big deal. An entire new front beam would be easiest though if your tramp is already off.
Thanks for the replies!
I wanted to report back on what I did, etc... After looking at several sites, and the Hobie manual, I was thinking that I may have to dis-assemble the front crossbar in the end, but I really wouldn't loose much (hopefully) if I tried something different.
It seemed that the 'weakest link' in the whole front crossbar/dolphin striker bar connection was the steel rod riding on aluminum threads on the mast step, and that buying a new 'whatever' would eventually progress to the same end. Which is to say, continual jolts and strain on this point would strip the aluminum threads again.
So what I did was to have a local machinist cut threads further down the dolphin striker rod so I could place a nut and washer above and below the crossbar to minimize that vertical movement and take the mast step (ie, the softer metal) out of the equation all together... I re-assembled everything and it was "tight". I've been sailing twice so far and it is still not budging at all! So far, so good...
I may still have to buy the whole thing, and go thru that take-down/re-assemble, but I hopefully haven't lost much. I will write back from time to time to let y'all know how is going. Hopefully I won't be eating crow by then!
TTYL, Damon
SMART.. Less work and $$s. More time on the water.. H