VigLink

News » Repairs

Aligning Rudders on a Nacra 6.0

Contributed by delaunhe on Apr 19, 2010 - 02:16 PM
Today I set out to align my rudders on my Nacra 6.0 na. I had to do this since I broke my tiller bar twice. Yeah, twice…….. FYI……never jump on the boat from behind, because you will end up breaking the tiller bar. I broke it the second time when trying to drag the boat down to the water with the rudders on the boat.

Share Catamaran Repair Tips at TheBeachcats.com

Contributed by damonAdmin on Aug 08, 2008 - 01:23 PM

Stern DamageA lot of you have done a lot of catamaran sailing this season with the normal wear and tear on your boats. Sometimes the wear (or tear) is a little beyond the "normal" category. When that happens, don't forget your fellow catamaran sailors who might have the same situation in the future.

As you do your repair, or fix your problem, please take a moment during this stressful time to take pictures and make a few notes about how the problem happened, any warning signs, and how you fixed it.

Nothing fancy is needed, a phone camera, disposable camera, or professional SLR will all result in pictures to tell the story. As soon as you have the pictures, upload them to an album in the Beachcats Technical section of the photo gallery to help the next sailor with the same problem. You can easily come back later and add more detailed information to the pictures.

If you are currently struggling with a problem on your boat, check out the Beachcats Technical and you might find a solution.


Repairing a Dented Mast

Contributed by damonAdmin on Dec 15, 2005 - 02:52 AM
Repairing a dent in a mast sail track.



I have had two masts that had a dent near the sail track, and was able to repair them with this method. Here's a photo of the Prindle 19 mast that I just received. As you can see, the area is pinched enough to cause problems when raising the main.



I use thin hardened metal as spacers to spread out the pressure that is applied with a tapered device. In other words, I drive a screwdriver in between a couple putty knives. To keep the straight side from getting damaged, be sure to use a thicker piece of metal as a backer on that side. I started out with two putty knives and advanced to a heavier piece of stainless steel when the track was opened up a little. As you can see in the mast dent repair photos, it does a great job of opening the track back up.



When you have a straight opening in the groove, you might touch up the area with a fine metal file.



Good luck,



Jack Hoying

Fort Loramie, Ohio

Footnote: Thanks for sharing Jack!


15 Class Legal Repair Tips for the Hobie 17 Catamaran

Contributed by damonAdmin on Mar 08, 2004 - 12:46 PM
The reintroduction of the Hobie 17.

I have sailed the Hobie 17 for 16 years and this is great news for the best solo catamaran that I have ever sailed. There is an opportunity for the makers and owners to make some non-performance modifications to make a great boat even better . Lets begin with things on the boat that have failed on me and the possible remedies.

Cross Beam inner gunnel securing bolt bearing plate .
Fault - It's small size and relative fore and aft alignment of the bolt hole and pop rivet securing holes causes the cross beam to crack around its underside at this point. Remedy - Make this plate " U " shaped , wider and longer to separate this hole alignment and give the bolt more support .

Footnote: If catamaran sailors out there have tips like these for other catamarans, please share them here.


Quick-Release System for Old-Style Hobie-18 Rudders!

Contributed by damonAdmin on Jan 15, 2003 - 01:41 AM
By: Keith Chapman

Hobie-18 rudder castings come in two flavors: Pre-1987 and 1987 on. They’re easy to tell apart, as the newer systems use a plastic cam to hold and release the upper casting, while the older systems use a metal one. Both are supposed to work the same way, with the rudder kicking up when an obstacle is encountered or when the skipper wishes to beach the boat. However, the pre-1987 Hobie-18 rudders have an annoying habit of not releasing or kicking up when you want them to. I’ve even busted a tiller arm or two yanking up on them to try to get a rudder to release. I always had to keep a tool with a long end that I could insert from behind the release cam in order to trip the mechanism whenever things would stick – not very convenient or even safe under some circumstances.

Footnote: While I recommend everyone upgrade their pre-87 Hobie 18's to the new system. This article shows the resourcefulness of beachcat sailors!

  • May 22, 2012
  • No events scheduled.

Upcoming events