Hobie Cat Forums

http://violaphoto.com/hobie21-mast-stepping.htm

a. Replaced trailer's mast cradle with a 'tongue roller mount'

b. Angled roller mount forward to prevent winch strap being cut by post

c. Slide mast through cradle on aft crossbar and secure mast foot to dolphin-striker ball

d. Support mast with sturdy folding utility ladder (walked forward after securing foot to ball so mast is angled up and forward)

e. Secure trapeze wire(s) with line (approx 2 feet) to forward crossbar which keep mast from swinging from side-to-side

f. Attach winch strap to forestay and raise mast with winch

g. Secure stepped mast with 1/2" line to trailer, release winch strap and secure forestay to bow bridle

ps- trampolines not tight as I removed them before Hurricane Ike and filled hulls with water so wind would not fly her away

If you cannot view link or photos you may contact me direct
Thanks
franklin j VIOLA

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'Esperanza'
SC 21 Sail 253
photo@violaphoto.com
www.violaphoto.com

Soooo... This boat is missing the mast stepping pole? They all came with the stepping pole as standard equipment.

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Matt Miller
Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Hobie Cat USA

Matt
Boat did come with a mast stepping pole:
Pin was severely 'bent' and compression plate was partially 'ripped out' of mast. Previous owner must have let mast get away and she 'twisted'?
I repaired all, but found the higher angle of the roller on trailer's mast cradle gave me more leverage with the winch and less strain on mast.
Any suggestions you may provide, however, would be greatly appreicated
Thanks!
franklin

_________________
'Esperanza'
SC 21 Sail 253
photo@violaphoto.com
www.violaphoto.com

Ditto with mine. Actually, the pin was still straight, but my mast had an ugly story to tell from the previous owner. Aluminum cracked where the pin ripped it. Just another reason for my stepping pole mod.

Matt, I know I still owe you some photos to critique. Just haven't had a need to lower the mast back down yet.

Franklin is that a reflection on your front hull, or did you add something else to inside?

TC

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TC

TC
You have excellent eyes!
Reflection on inside of Stbd hull is 'repair' made by previous owner.
One of three or four.
franklin

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'Esperanza'
SC 21 Sail 253
photo@violaphoto.com
www.violaphoto.com

My boat has a few battle scars of it's own I thought for a moment your reflection may have been an anti- pitch pole foil .

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TC

fjViola: I look at your pics and I don't see in the mast the stainless steel wishbone-like "mast orienter" that mine has.

Was that an aftermarket addition on my boat?

Also, has anybody used it to keep the mast straight for and aft while raising it? As in tying lines from it to the trapeze cables?

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Practice makes perfect, so be careful what you practice...

Do you have a picture? I don't think I have one either and my boat is pretty stock. I do tie off the trap lines to the cross bar, and the mast will still sway if left unattended. Matt thinks it's an operator error and he may be right, though I think I'm following the procedure correctly. The gin pole mod I did only helps correct the mast twist/rotation.

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TC

Rockets:

I don't have a pic of the "orienter", but I don't think I'm the only one who has it, somebody else will probably post one.

I can describe it: it's a stainless steel wishbone, bolted through the mast, close to the top of the cabin, about 12" long, with an eye at the end. The cabin had two cleats, so I guess two lines went from that eye to the cleats.

I didn't understand the purpose of this on a cruising cat. (On a racing cat, I guess it can be used to tweak the mast a few degrees to windward or leeward to maximize airflow on the main.) Mine, its main purpose in life was to catch the jib sheets during a tack, so I removed it.

However, one day I sailed San Diego bay with little wind and a lot of chop, and the mast was twisting side to side so hard that I thought it would break the mast step. (I ended up having a crew holding it.)

So I'm putting it back in case the situation presents again.

And no, it would not help with the mast sway, only maybe with the mast twist.

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Practice makes perfect, so be careful what you practice...

That being said a device to stop the mast from slamin gback and forth would be very welcome. I sail around a lot of large fast boats. And the mast gets Killed by the wakes sometimes. I have wondered what those two cleats were for. i though maby furling lines for the jib and genaker.

I found a pic of the mast orienter. It only shows part of it, but you can figure out the rest.

In the pic the orienter is folded all the way up against the mast (and still catching the jib sheet...)

http://picasaweb.google.com/jordiheguil ... 9717790114

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Practice makes perfect, so be careful what you practice...

Hmm i deffinatly don't have that

I do not have one either, but would like to.
The wishbone looks like the anti-twisting device from a Hobie 18 I had. There was a cleat on the bottom of the boom for tightening. I had thought of putting some rubber pads on the mast rotator blocks to lessen the banging. I wonder if anyone else has tried this possible solution. I have seen many variations of lines to the mast to stop the jib catching and jib line in the mast base well. My next test will be to wrap the main halyard around the handle once the main is up.

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Jerry Malone

I just noticed that the Rotator Arm is stock on the SE, but not the SC.

http://www.mariner-sails.com/cust_files ... _Parts.pdf

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Jerry Malone

I have raised a bunch of masts in my day I never raise them solo except my first Hobie 14 in 1971 The dealer stated that I should practice in the parking lot Mast fell on car mast was OK car had a dent in roof. lesson learned
The most dangerous times around Hobies occur when raising a mast
This is always done when you can get a little help You SOLO people should get friends or family I have even asked total strangers to help during the critical lift stage. The damage discussed to the boats in this forum is due to not having help or not following directions Read and Heed the owners book The damage to the boat- mast -people-tow vehicle- is not worth the risk

I have the EZ system with a winch I use all the trap wires i try to park with the wind in my favor i try to park with the tow vehicle downhill of boat The H14 and 16 are two people boats my 21SE is a three person boat to rig safely