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Hobie 14 restoration (home built rigging and such)
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Author:  uvhobie14 [ Tue Aug 07, 2012 12:07 am ]
Post subject:  Hobie 14 restoration (home built rigging and such)

I picked up a vintage Hobie 14 in the end of June (vintage being 70's somewhere, haven't bothered to look for the serial) that had been left out for probably 10 years, and exchanged hands a couple times. In all that loveliness, the shroud, forestay, bridles, and mainsheet block were lost. The tramp was totally trashed (I'll post pictures of what was left, later) but the sail is absolutely BEAutiful.

The hulls have no delamination issues whatsoever (did a thorough inspection at the sellers home, and several more times in my driveway). I bought this cat because I'm on a rather tight budget (only 18, saving for school and an LDS mission. Plus, I'm attracted to old things that just need a little lovin') and would prefer to not spend a fortune on a new mainsheet block setup.

I've already ordered the tramp (coming next week) and I can make the mast guides easily, but I'm stumped on the block. I know this may sound outrageous, but can I simply fabricate the block out of ordinary (but high quality) "pulleys"? What about the sheet locking mechanism? Is it feasible to just...(here comes the Eagle Scout in me..) tie the sheet off?

Please forgive my blasphemy. :D Also, if anyone reading this has the appropriate setup they'd be willing to sell/donate very, very soon, please let me know. PM is gonna be the best for that.

Also, needless to say the lines had all disintegrated except for a couple stubs here and there. What specs am I looking for to replace the lines and sheet?

Oh, I should also mention that the traveler setup is strange..instead of having a little bracket thing that the mainsheet goes through after the block (the bracket the figure 8 knot will run into if the sail tries to pull the sheet all the way out) there are the stubs of two lines and a shackle on the traveler. Pretty crappy description, but I'll hopefully be putting up all sorts of pictures tomorrow.

Thanks in advance for any help you can render to a young sailor and his first cat.

Author:  Murph_PEI [ Tue Aug 07, 2012 11:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Hobie 14 restoration (home built rigging and such)

Hey there UVHobie14,

I'm relatively new to Cats myself but I've sailed some home made dinghies where you tied off the sheets on 'dock style' cleats. However, cats (Hobie sized anyway) seem to require a lot more, on the fly, adjustments to the main. Constant adjustment really, if it is the slightest bit gusty or you are trying to keep things perfectly trim. I think a cam cleat where you can quickly disengage it with a flick of the wrist would result in a lot less swim time. I''d spring for a proper block, I think. No pun intended.

I will let the truly experienced comment on the rest or correct my opinion above.

Author:  hobiesrock [ Tue Aug 07, 2012 8:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hobie 14 restoration (home built rigging and such)

Yup I would for sure spend the money on at least a used set of the old seaway blocks.

Sounds like you have the old school traveler setup as well. I think you can easily upgrade that also for not too much money.

Ebay is your friend!

Author:  uvhobie14 [ Tue Aug 07, 2012 10:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hobie 14 restoration (home built rigging and such)

Thanks for the responses, I had figured as much on the cam question. I wouldn't mind sticking with the "old school" traveler setup. It seems to move very smoothly, and right now my motto is "if it's not broken, don't fix it". I just went outside (right before I started this sentence) and had a good long look-see at the setup, and I believe I get it. Researching now, I see the real name for the little v-cut line cleat/cam things on the aft corners of the frame are v-jams.

I'm pretty sure I've got a good enough idea of how the system works.The windward traveler line locks into the windward v-jam, holding the traveler in place, allowing the mainsheet to be trimmed. I think for now I'm totally cool with this setup (have an attraction to vintage systems).

I do however, need assistance in picking out the proper block and locking cam set up. This category on an eBay store seems likely to have the proper combination in there somewhere, but I have no clue what I really need.

http://stores.ebay.com/NAUTICA-WEB-STOR ... 513&_pgn=1

I know it will have to have the locking cam cleat on the lower block, but I don't know how many pulley wheels I need in the system. This particular setup caught my eye, but if there's a better or similar combination of parts available for less, then I'd rather go with that.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MAINSYSTEM-BLOC ... 636wt_1163

Also (and I really don't mean to keep dragging this post out) what sort of line can I use for my lines? The chalky stubs on there now seem to be almost like sash cord, but with more polyester in the core. What does the load strength have to be for the traveler lines? Halyard? (can't be that much for that one right?) Mainsheet? Righting line? And any others you can think of that I'm missing leaving out. What type of line is best?

My apologies for all the questions at once, but I'd really like to get everything ordered right now while my trampoline is being made, so I'm not waiting on a piece of stupid line, or even worse the blocks. Thanks so much!

Author:  uvhobie14 [ Tue Aug 07, 2012 11:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hobie 14 restoration (home built rigging and such)

Oh, forgot to also mention that many of the frame rivets are somewhat loose. The frame seems to be really solid..how very urgent is the replacement of these guys?

Author:  wildlatin [ Sat Aug 11, 2012 7:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hobie 14 restoration (home built rigging and such)

uvhobie14 wrote:
Thanks for the responses, I had figured as much on the cam question. I wouldn't mind sticking with the "old school" traveler setup. It seems to move very smoothly, and right now my motto is "if it's not broken, don't fix it". I just went outside (right before I started this sentence) and had a good long look-see at the setup, and I believe I get it. Researching now, I see the real name for the little v-cut line cleat/cam things on the aft corners of the frame are v-jams.

I'm pretty sure I've got a good enough idea of how the system works.The windward traveler line locks into the windward v-jam, holding the traveler in place, allowing the mainsheet to be trimmed. I think for now I'm totally cool with this setup (have an attraction to vintage systems).

I've never seen such a system for the traveler- Can you still post pics?
Separately cleating the traveler seems like a bit much versus just flipping a line to release the center camcleat (newer parts)- but you can get used to anything...

uvhobie14 wrote:
I do however, need assistance in picking out the proper block and locking cam set up. This category on an eBay store seems likely to have the proper combination in there somewhere, but I have no clue what I really need.

http://stores.ebay.com/NAUTICA-WEB-STOR ... 513&_pgn=1

I know it will have to have the locking cam cleat on the lower block, but I don't know how many pulley wheels I need in the system. This particular setup caught my eye, but if there's a better or similar combination of parts available for less, then I'd rather go with that.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MAINSYSTEM-BLOC ... 636wt_1163

The latter resemble the older (Seaway?) 4:1 fiddle block systems which require a pretty high clearance between the boom and traveler area and thus less mast tilt. Most newer blocks have 3 sheaves top and bottom and are thus 6:1. Notice how much closer the blocks can be tightened together...
Image
But 4:1 may work for some people on a H14... They certainly did sometime in the past. Also, if you search here you can find a way that people have bolted together these older block styles to make triple-sheave blocks- I did that and it works fine.

uvhobie14 wrote:
Also (and I really don't mean to keep dragging this post out) what sort of line can I use for my lines? The chalky stubs on there now seem to be almost like sash cord, but with more polyester in the core. What does the load strength have to be for the traveler lines? Halyard? (can't be that much for that one right?) Mainsheet? Righting line? And any others you can think of that I'm missing leaving out. What type of line is best?

My apologies for all the questions at once, but I'd really like to get everything ordered right now while my trampoline is being made, so I'm not waiting on a piece of stupid line, or even worse the blocks. Thanks so much!

I'd say from experience that eBay is your friend as far as lines... Somewhere here if you search the forums you can find guidelines as to length and diameter of these lines but I find that one can never have too much 'rope' around and the prices for dacron or the newer MFP lines (soft, flexible, and float) are cheap enough to buy a few size pieces and see what you like. It's heresy to some but you can even find usable cordage at Lowes... (I have).

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