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Reply to: Rivet Joint on 85 Hobie 18SX Mast

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[quote=DamonLinkous][quote=rcp-1985h18sx]Hello all. I'm pretty new to Hobie sailing.
I just picked up my 18sx a few weeks ago and have been picking away updating and repairing it.
[/quote]
Hello and welcome to TheBeachcats.com, I missed this post when it first arrived.
[quote=rcp-1985h18sx]
One thing I noticed is the rivet joint on the mast seem to have some play in it. This is only noticeable when the boat is not rigged; however it makes me nervous sailing a boat with a mast that may not be so structurally sound.

Any tips on reinforcing the joint? Or will replacing the rivets do the trick.
[/quote]
It sounds like you have a loose comptip on your mast (stands for composite tip) which became standard on Hobie masts about 1985. After that the comptip was added as a requirement for class racing on all Hobie Classes so most older masts were retrofitted with the comptip.

The comptips have have about an 18 inch solid plug at the bottom that is inserted into the aluminum extrusion along with glue (not sure what kind), then the mast hound is riveted onto the top of the aluminum section with a bunch of large rivets, which also penetrate the fiberglass comptip base plug.

So if your comptip is "wiggling" the glue connection has broken loose and it is only being held on by the rivet backs. If that is the case, I'd recommend (carefully don't damage the hound) drilling out all the rivets, removing and cleaning up the comptip plug, then reinserting with the right glue/epoxy. (someone here probably knows the best thing to use).

Re-Rivet with closed back (waterproof) stainless steel rivets. You'll need a really long-handled or pneumatic rivet gun to pull large stainless sealed rivets.

[quote=rcp-1985h18sx]
Thanks....I'm sure this is the first of many questions...
Rob[/quote]
Ha! One thing we have here is answers, use at your own risk.  :lachen:[/quote]

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