Hobie Cat Forums

Hi guys & girls,
I just bought a 2007 Hobie Tiger used and yesterday was my first day on it. I will admit that I am a novice sailor and that this is the first sail boat I have owned, but it was a real blast once we got it on the water. It did take some time to set up at first (about 1.5 hours) and I will say that the mast was super heavy for our (me and crew) combined weight of 290 lbs. so we got some random stranger on the dock to help us. We sailed with the main only in about 5-10 knot winds and it did move and help to get our courage up! Unfortunately the wind died down for about 45 minutes so we paddled a little before it picked back up again.

The only real trouble we had was when lowering the mast. For some reason as we were lowering the mast and it was at approx 60 degrees coming down the mast base slipped out of the mast stop ball. I wonder if this is a sign that the ball is starting to fail or if we did something wrong in lowering it???

Also, since we are so light has anyone come up with a trailer winch/crank to raise and lower the mast?

Anyways, even with these snags, this was an awesome experience and I am in love with the hobie tiger way! Our next sail will be with main and jib next week so wish us luck. If anyone is from the Bluffton/Beaufort/Savannah area, let us know.

Val

did you put the pin the mastbase and rotate the mast 90 degr ???

I make some extra rope on the fore schrout ,to raise and lower the mast

zie this foto

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Hobie Wildcat sailnr NED 16
Hobie Tiger sailnr 973 sold
Hobie 16 sail nr 104195 sold
470 sailnr NED 560 sold

As shown above put in the pin - rotate mast - very important as you will break the base of mast if you don't rotate.

As mast is coming down - start walking back on the tramp, easier and less chance of mast jumping out. Have helper waiting at rear of boat to catch mast - put a lifejacket on traveller where stay may/will catch it.

Try and rotate boat so that the mast will drop or raise into the wind. Once you get used to it you will be able to raise mast easier - more technique than brute strength.

Before raising mast insert spinnaker halyard into pulley etc.

Thanks for the tips. I definitely had the pin in the mast base and I had the mast rotated to 90 degrees (starboard facing I believe) and when it was at 60 degrees coming down is when it slipped out. Anyways, I can't wait to do some more sailing next week and I appreciate any helpful suggestions.

Does anyone know why Hobie suggests removing the mast base pin after the mast is up in place? I feel as though I might lose that pin so I would prefer to leave it in. Is there any harm in that?

Thanks,

Val

Screw the pin.

Tie a safety line off from the mast rotation arm to the dolphin striker. If the ball comes off the pin isn't doing anything for you. The ball can fail if it is not threaded on all the way, and the threads inside the ball are taking the loads from the mast, instead of the striker bottoming out on the inside of the ball.

I dropped the mast on my FXone, (same exact setup as the Tiger), right after I got it because of a failed ball. Fortunately it didn't fall very far, and it was onto grass. After that I just tied a line. Just leave enough slack so it won't go tight when the mast is down.

Plus, if you're a complete tool like me, you rotate the mast the wrong way and can't get the pin out then. Forcing you lift that telephone pole again for no reason....


and check to make sure your mast ball is seated all the way frequently!

The reason for removing the pin after stepping the mast is so that if you break a shroud, the mast will separate from the front crossbar. Otherwise, if the mast comes down and the mast base stays attached, you will do further damage to the mast step and/or front crossbar.

You don't have to remove the pin, but that is why doing so is recommended.

If you use shroud extenders for righting the boat after a capsize, you need to have the pin in the mast base.

sm

I experienced that a couple of times, instead of using the stock pin or a bolt...get a good quality screw driver with a 1/4" shank and cut it to the length you need it...it's works better because the steel is tempered and will not bend and plus you have a handle to help remove it once the mast is up.

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Tiger 1047

Kenny, sounds like a great idea. We look forward to seeing you in Shreveport 23-24 Oct! Your crew and his parents are excited.

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Mark Van Doren
Division 9 Chairman
H20 #647
H14 #47787
H16 #112205

HEY!! Do me a favour and don't let anyone stand under the back of the mast to "catch it" while you're lowering it. They can stand to the side and come in to lower it onto the life jacket or whatever at the last moment. But if that mast base pops out, and they do, then a broken mast is trivial compared to a broken head. It helps if you can keep some pressure down the mast while you lower it to encourage it to stay on the ball. Move your feet back a little more than you move your hands down the mast.

Have a Hobie day!

Charles

Hey Charles ...I hear ya, my mast base popped out a couple of times...thank god no one was hurt and no damage to the mast. Haven't had a pop out since I started using the cut off screwdriver :p

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Tiger 1047

almablue...

One technique I use is having your crew grab the forestay/bridle assembly and lean back/pull torward the bow with their body weight as your raising the mast. It really does help and keeps the mast base firmly against the rotation ball. I'm not sure how you pin your forestay but I leave the forestay attached to the bridle and remove the two bridle pins from the bow tangs. This gives your crew a good "handle". Another option is to use one of your trap wires.

Reverse the process for lowering. I never use a pin or line...but I do check the integrity of the ball before stepping the mast. As posted earlier...its about technique. Drove a Tiger for 8 years and a Hobie 20 before that. You think a Tiger mast is heavy...try a Hobie 20 Good luck.

John Bauldry
Hobie Wild Cat #194
Commerce, MI

"Reverse the process for lowering. I never use a pin or line...but I do check the integrity of the ball before stepping the mast. As posted earlier...its about technique. Drove a Tiger for 8 years and a Hobie 20 before that. You think a Tiger mast is heavy...try a Hobie 20 Good luck."

John Bauldry
Hobie Wild Cat #194
Commerce, MI

You think a Hobie 20 mast is heavy you try a Hobie 21! We kept a 50 foot length of line to tie onto the end of the main halyard and have the guy walk to the end of the line. It's about leverage. I can pick up and carry a 21 mast by myself, it's not that heavy, but when you get it up to about a 45 degree angle it feels impossible to move. The angle on that long line make the difference.

BigWhoop...

Can't say I've had the privledge of grunting up a Hobie 21 mast. The 20 mast is 31.5 feet long and the last 8+ are comptip...HEAVY. I can only imagine a 21 mast. The Tiger is a tree trunk and shorter at 29.5 feet...but it's a solid aluminum extrusion. I do find the wing mast of the Wild Cat a bit lighter though. It is all about leverage and simple geometry.

John

You guys should try an carbon a-cat mast. Sometimes I have to use both arms to step it.

Karl...
Very true...light and strong. Downside is they are brittle and major $$$$.
JB