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 Post subject: Comp Tip Damage
PostPosted: Sun Jun 13, 2021 5:34 pm 
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Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Sun Jun 13, 2021 4:19 pm
Posts: 4
Location: Madison, Ohio
Hi all!
About a month ago I bought a 1981 Hobie 18 with tequila sunrise sails and wings (I believe aftermarket) for $700. It is my first cat and my first time sailing. I've taken the boat out twice learned a lot and had a great time. Sailed it all weekend and it went great. However when putting the boat on the trailer I made a very large rookie mistake and forgot to pin the mast before attempting to lower it. Luckily no one was hurt but my comp tip is in pretty sad shape (but somehow the mast head survived). It is split all the way around the mast about 16in from the mast head. Above the split the tip is very loose and may only be held on by the luff track. So I had some questions about the tip

First, are all 18 comp tips the same? My boat has the shorter 28ft mast but I wasn't sure if the tip changed when the mast was lengthened for the sx and is the comp tip the same for other hobies, I have the ability to get a 16 comp tip and a wave comp tip but was skeptical they would interchange.

Secondly, are there any good places to look for used parts? In a perfect world I would like to buy a used tip to replace mine and move on. Buying a new one for more than I paid for the boat isn't really an option. I've checked eBay and haven't found anything but I wasn't sure if there was anywhere special to look. I would also not really like to buy a whole mast because of the difficulty transporting but will if I need to.

Lastly, is a repair possible? I've done some looking online and the tips are just fiberglass so is it realistic to have it repaired. I have always known fiberglass to be infinitely repairable so is it the same for this situation.

My current plan is to remove the tip from the base and take it to a fiberglass repair shop in town to see what they say. I don't race the boat and don't plan to so I just need the tip to not fall off. any information you might have is greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for any advice and help.

pics for reference
https://imgur.com/gallery/eFyLzQo


Last edited by bStrad42 on Mon Jun 14, 2021 10:05 am, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: Comp Tip Damage
PostPosted: Mon Jun 14, 2021 9:45 am 
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Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Mon May 09, 2005 10:25 am
Posts: 4176
Location: Jersey Shore
The comptips on all of the 18’s are the same (SX and Standard).

Is it repairable? Maybe, but it would have to be repaired by someone who really knew what they were doing and they would ideally use a vacuum bag to optimize fiber compaction and resin content of the repair. You might even want to sleeve it from the inside. I wouldn’t just take it to a body shop and have some putty slapped on it. This is a major structural area and if it breaks under sail, you’re going to be in trouble.

sm


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 Post subject: Re: Comp Tip Damage
PostPosted: Tue Jun 15, 2021 10:59 am 
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Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Wed May 25, 2011 3:15 pm
Posts: 610
Location: Buffalo, NY
agreed with srm, comp tips are all the same, but it's really not easily repairable. Fiberglass boats are easily repairable, but a comp tip is much harder because you can't access the other "side" (the inside).

Your best bet would probably be to find a replacement mast. Comp tips are not commonly found "used," as they're glued onto the mast... They're also the most delicate part of the mast, so if someone has a "bad" mast, it's probably a bad comptip. I think you unfortunately need to either buy a new comp tip from Hobie (pricy as you said, and probably backordered for months, as most Hobie parts are nowadays), or find someone with a parts boat and buy the mast off them... Older boats didn't have comp tips, you may find one that doesn't have/need one.

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Mike
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'79 H18 standard 'Rocketman II' sail #14921 RIP
'78 H18 (unnamed) sail #14921
'08 H16 sail #114312
'97 H21SC sail #238


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 Post subject: Re: Comp Tip Damage
PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 12:04 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2007 6:09 am
Posts: 109
Location: Spring Lake, NJ
FWIW, there’s another post from someone selling an H18/20 comptip

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H16 2002 "Islands" Sail No. 107432


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 Post subject: Re: Comp Tip Damage
PostPosted: Wed Jun 23, 2021 1:03 pm 
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Site Rank - Admiral

Joined: Mon Oct 01, 2007 4:21 pm
Posts: 192
Location: Chilliwack, BC
If you're not racing at all... check your local dealers for an older solid mast (no comptip). You'll probably find one cheaper than replacing the comptip....

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Paul Evenden
NRO, RMMCC, CJ
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