built in coolers

Just sold our Hobie 18 & bought a Getaway. So far so good! Anyone know why the coolers fill up with water? The plugs are in but they seem to always fill. Also, there's a real awful squeeking sound when the mast turns at all. Anyway to silence it? Thx!

Go around and snug all the screws up on the coolers where they mount on the hull. Don't strip them. I seem to get water in mine too. They will really flood if you leave those drain plugs out and sail hard.

I have not found a fix for the cooler, water fills to the top. I leave the drain plugs out, and that seems to help some. As for the squeeky mast ball, I just sprayed some sail lubricant (dry) and it worked like a charm. I would not recommend any lubricants like wd40, since it may absorb into the mast ball and cause it to break down.

My 2003 getaway "coolers" have always filled with water, especially after a capsize. Hobie has posted technical bulliten for this problem... loosening the side screws and tightening the middle ones...but it does not work.

http://static.hobiecat.com/2010_archive/support/pdfs/gwhatchleak.pdf

The lids simply don't ever seat completely against the rubber gasket. You could always try adding some other type of gasket seal, but it really is not worth it. Anything you are going to bring on a Hobie is going to get wet anyway! Invest in a small drybag for criticcals like cell phones or FRS two-ways...

I am not sure what the writers below mean when they refer to the drain plugs - my "coolers" don't have any drains. They do have inspection ports that go into the hulls, but if you remove these, you will end up flooding your pontoons....so leave them screwed on!!

As far as the mast squeaking...I had the same problem and tried a couple different sprays, i.e. sail-kote and a dry silicone spray...this lasted for a couple weeks, but the squeak came back. So I decided to try a Hobie teflon disk, although I did not think this was needed for this boat due to the delrin mast ball, but i figured it couldn't hurt. Problem solved...the boat has been silent all summer.


Happy sailing....

I purchased my Getaway last year, 04 model I guess. There is a rubbber corked hole behind the port which has a hose which dumps to the outside of the hulls under and in between. I have found if you leave the plugs out and sail hard water comes back up into the coolers. So I just leave them plugged and open them when not sailing. Following the instructions to tighten them helped but not completely. That's why god made ziplock bags.

Well let me eat my words, we went out yesterday and it was great 17 mph, tipped over . but... When we went for a bru, they were floating so now I sail with the plugs out. and my ziplock was full of water too, guess I should get a new one every year or so.

My coolers take on water too, but not that much. I did tigthen the screws. For keeping things dry, I use one or two drink bottles with a large mouth opening. WOrks great for storing cell phone, keys, etc.

On the squeeky ball, I dab a bit of vasaline on the ball once in a while. Haven't noticed and deteriation of the ball, but I suppose that could be an issue.

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Phil
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Check This link out.
http://steve.skybeach.org/sailing_files/sailing2.htm

He has really made some very good modifications for the Getaway.
I will be doing most of them.

Those are awesome!

Was it a disk part #11110005 or #1132 for Hobie 18 ?

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2 Hulls Cezar

Mc Lube works great.

I sprayed that in the beginning of the season but it worked for a month and that was it.
Matt what kind of grease did you recommend?

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2 Hulls Cezar

I can vouch for grease. Squeaky mass problems were over after I coated the mast ball with a thin layer.

Does anyone know if the cooler from an 01' Getaway can be converted to a newer model cooler that has the whole lid vs. the round cover? I've checked the parts catalog, but cannot tell if they are interchangeable.

I would like to upgrade the cooler to possible install a battery for a trolling motor.

I have never had any water in my 06, and I always leave the plugs out.

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06 getaway -- always remember, man with both feet in mouth have no leg to stand on.