Hobie Mast Fatigue

[Big Mike]

I’ve had to straighten my masts a couple of times from hitting those mysterious underwater obstructions. I’ve tried the slow bend method but that didn’t really work so I hammered it into an approximation of straight. Doing this introduces tiny fractures and stress points in the metal. Eventually this will happen. Fortunately not to far from the ramp when it happened.


The lesson for me is to just bite the bullet and get a new one.


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[Mark]

Mike,

That's too bad.

On my old Revo I nailed a submerged concrete block at Goodhands Creek at full speed. I bent both masts. Like you, I tried to straighten them by bending them but I couldn't. They were hard as...well steel. I don't know anything about metallurgy but it was clear I could not straighten them by my own means. So I bought new masts from Hobie and easily replaced the bent ones.

Interestingly, the drive still worked with bent masts.

Mirage Drives are really tough when you consider the abuse we put them through.

[J.A. Veil]

Sorry you are having drive issues. Sometimes we kayak pedalers forget that we are using sophisticated mechanical devices that do wear and can break. It is tough to have a breakdown on the water and to pay for a replacement or major servicing. But when we enjoy the benefits of a smooth mechanical drive, we need to be prepared for servicing and maintenance. Good luck in getting back on the water.

Although there was more than a little temptation, I avoided making any jokes about older anglers dealing with fatigued masts.

[Memory Maker]

Lol ........ good one John

[jbowers679]

I have bent the mast on my mirage 180 drive several times now. I just use a vice to hold the mast and bend it back by hand. they are not perfectly straight but they work fine. I have been wondering if they would break from the stress of being bent and straightened out. I guess I will order a spare to keep on hand.

[ronaultmtd]

I have straightened mine out without any problems...the key to prevent metal fatigue is annealing the area of the mast straightened. I use a small propane torch and heat the area until it just starts to turn color then let it cool on it’s own...no water, no oil...just time...the metal molecules return to its original strength and shear strength. One word of caution..you must remove the bent mast from the drive to anneal it...a pair of vice grips gets the job done, and be sure to use red lock tite when reinstalling the mast...

[Big Mike]

Guess you never want to take that mast out if you use Loctite Red. Requires you to heat the joint to remove the mast, and given the plastic housing I’m guessing that’s a mess. Blue would be more than sufficient.

[Mark]

The thing that surprised me about my original (pre 180) Mirage Drive is that bending the masts did not damage the rest of the unit. In particular I was concerned that the force of the impact that bent the masts would have cracked the plastic rotors or whatever those parts are called that the masts screw into. That didn't happen in my case. I did use vice grips, as Ron suggests, to remove them. I tried to hammer them straight and I tried a vise. No luck. I couldn't budge that steel. Using heat never occurred to me. So I bought new masts and I did use Blue Loctite when I screwed them in.

Since that original mishap I've been extremely cautious with my drives. I'm generally not in a hurry near shorelines and at the first indication of an obstruction underneath, I back off the pedals. I do wonder if the 180 drive would be as hardy as my first drive during impact. I hope I never have to find out.

[ronaultmtd]

Guess you never want to take that mast out if you use Loctite Red. Requires you to heat the joint to remove the mast, and given the plastic housing I’m guessing that’s a mess. Blue would be more than sufficient.

Looking at the red tube of lock tite...says non hardening blue..yep, you are right, Mike it is blue inside the red tube...