Can't get the sand out of the Hobie

I let the Revo get swamped by a wave sweeping down the beach last year and the sand that washed in is very, very fine.

I can't get the sand out of the seat mount holes - the ones the seat pegs twist into.  I've pressure washed them, I've let them dry and hit them with 100psi compressed air, I've used a test tube brush.  Some sand's still there and it's making it very difficult to re-attach the seat.

Any suggestions?

Vacuum cleaner hose reduced to about the size of an automotive vacuum line?

I let the Revo get swamped by a wave sweeping down the beach last year and the sand that washed in is very, very fine.

I can't get the sand out of the seat mount holes - the ones the seat pegs twist into.  I've pressure washed them, I've let them dry and hit them with 100psi compressed air, I've used a test tube brush.  Some sand's still there and it's making it very difficult to re-attach the seat.

Any suggestions?

Picture? 

Careful use of an automotive clay bar?

A little tool heavy but my idea: pencil type die grinder, electric drill or dremel tool with a nylon bristle cup brush of the appropriate size, water to clear away the grit, and a wet/dry shop vac to suck it all up. Take your time,  don't overheat the plastic.

Picture? 

Don't have a proctoscope to see into those tight little holes.  Sorry, no photos.

Vacuum cleaner hose reduced to about the size of an automotive vacuum line?

I tried using a small diameter Shop-Vac attachment (for cleaning keyboards) and the sand just laughed at me.

There's not a lot of sand left in them, but it's enough to make it darned hard to twist the latching peg-things.  I had to use pliers to twist them into the unlatched position to get the seat out and I thought that they were going to snap.

I hope that when forcing the latches with pliers I didn't imbed the sand into the hull.  Crap!

A little tool heavy but my idea: pencil type die grinder, electric drill or dremel tool with a nylon bristle cup brush of the appropriate size, water to clear away the grit, and a wet/dry shop vac to suck it all up. Take your time,  don't overheat the plastic.

Thanks!  I have a Dremel tool and both a cup brush and a disk brush bit (?) for it but hadn't thought to use it.  I'll give it a try - it would be a lot more sanitary than using my electric toothbrush... but I may need to use the Water-Pic.

Careful use of an automotive clay bar?

Not a bad suggestion and one I didn't think of, but it's me trying to do this, and no doubt I'll end up needing to remove sand AND clay.  There's sand left in other places that I was just going to ignore, but I might try automotive clay to get every little bit of grit.  Thanks.   

Use some gum and a little piece of scotch brite taped to the end of a pencil ?

I think the insert just threads out with a large screwdriver. Can you remove the insert to give you more access?

Picture? 

Don't have a proctoscope to see into those tight little holes.  Sorry, no photos.

Vacuum cleaner hose reduced to about the size of an automotive vacuum line?

I tried using a small diameter Shop-Vac attachment (for cleaning keyboards) and the sand just laughed at me.

There's not a lot of sand left in them, but it's enough to make it darned hard to twist the latching peg-things.  I had to use pliers to twist them into the unlatched position to get the seat out and I thought that they were going to snap.

I hope that when forcing the latches with pliers I didn't imbed the sand into the hull.  Crap!

A little tool heavy but my idea: pencil type die grinder, electric drill or dremel tool with a nylon bristle cup brush of the appropriate size, water to clear away the grit, and a wet/dry shop vac to suck it all up. Take your time,  don't overheat the plastic.

Thanks!  I have a Dremel tool and both a cup brush and a disk brush bit (?) for it but hadn't thought to use it.  I'll give it a try - it would be a lot more sanitary than using my electric toothbrush... but I may need to use the Water-Pic.

Careful use of an automotive clay bar?

Not a bad suggestion and one I didn't think of, but it's me trying to do this, and no doubt I'll end up needing to remove sand AND clay.  There's sand left in other places that I was just going to ignore, but I might try automotive clay to get every little bit of grit.  Thanks.   

That sand will def get where the sun dont shine!

I think the insert just threads out with a large screwdriver. Can you remove the insert to give you more access?

Oh, for the love of ducks, I haven't looked!  I've been so obsessed with washing and blowing and cussing - just a bit - that I didn't look to see if I could just take the darned things out.  I'll check in the morning.
 

I think the insert just threads out with a large screwdriver. Can you remove the insert to give you more access?

Oh, for the love of ducks, I haven't looked!  I've been so obsessed with washing and blowing and cussing - just a bit - that I didn't look to see if I could just take the darned things out.  I'll check in the morning.
 

You posted that on the morning..... do you even sleep 

Your problem may not even be the sand itself.  You may just need to use a big flat blade screw driver as suggested by Skidplate and back them out a tad.

When I upgraded my 2010 model Revo from the wedge style seat pegs to the twist lock style inserts, it took me a bit to get the pegs in the right place to properly hold the pegs in place.  Twisting the black inserts too far in, makes it nearly impossible for the seat pegs to lock.  Too loose and then the seat is sloppy, and the pegs find ways to unscrew on their own - and at the most inopportune time.

Thanks.  I'll keep that in mind.