captain_canuck wrote:
Now I'm thinking of a way to reinforce the plungers, because I think they have a design flaw.
30 Knots of wind is extreme sailing for sure... certainly more than most people would sail in.
This cam system has been used on everything but the Hobie 14 and 16 since introduced on Hobie 18s in 1987. They were used on Hobie Wave, Getaway, 17, 18, 18SX, 20, 21SE, 21SC, so this is not a design flaw... they worked.
The issue is tolerance between the cam position and the casting opening were the plunger slides up and down. If the casting surface is worn at the point the plunger exits the casting or, more likely, the cams have been replaced with the screw type pins (or the hole is worn / drilled larger), the cam may be riding higher which allowed the plungers to get high enough to tip out of the casting... then they get wedged, damaged or even sheared.
I believe you can build up the casting in that area to correct it. I personally have never done that, but it makes total sense.