in-mast farming question...

[Sanman]

Hi All! Well I sailed the new boat ('89 C-30) from St Pete to Pensacola last weekend and
we had a great trip!... But I noticed something... We apparently have a good bit of crap in the mast base...in fact, peeking out from under the main Halyard sheave on the starboard side of the mast, were a couple of very small plants! (which, of course, I pruned)
so... Knowing that some folks on here, have found years worth of bird poo and other dirt in there, I was wondering: How can I get it out without pulling the mast?
I'm thinking of drilling two small limber holes Port and Starboard at the base of the mast about 1/4 inch from the deck, then trying to flush it out with a hi pressure nozzle on my hose. this might also help with future accumulation...Any thought on that?

Anyway, we had a great trip, 3 days offshore and 300 NM, and I REALLY like this boat!!! :dance:

 

[topcat0399]

Hi All! Well I sailed the new boat ('89 C-30) from St Pete to Pensacola last weekend and
we had a great trip!... But I noticed something... We apparently have a good bit of crap in the mast base...in fact, peeking out from under the main Halyard sheave on the starboard side of the mast, were a couple of very small plants! (which, of course, I pruned)
so... Knowing that some folks on here, have found years worth of bird poo and other dirt in there, I was wondering: How can I get it out without pulling the mast?
I'm thinking of drilling two small limber holes Port and Starboard at the base of the mast about 1/4 inch from the deck, then trying to flush it out with a hi pressure nozzle on my hose. this might also help with future accumulation...Any thought on that?

Anyway, we had a great trip, 3 days offshore and 300 NM, and I REALLY like this boat!!! :dance:

Cool. Mast farm. I left our mast lay on the ground for a time last summer and later found a hell of an ant farm in it!

You should shimmy 'ur butt up dat mast and point a hose down da pipe and flush 'er; flush 'er good. Or not.

If I knew your ship perhaps I would know what I'm typing about.

Sorry - I'm giddy: its 20 out....

 

[Anonymous 121765]

Sanford,

I don't know if your flushing water idea is the best approach, as folks in the past have had water/leakage problems at the mast step for years, me included.

I had to step my mast 3 years ago to replace my cracked masthead crane. I made an aluminum piece several years earlier to cut down on water/poop/etc. (see pic w/orig. crane). I re-attached this to the new crane & It is removable if needed. I also had to re-core, re-glass, and reseal wiring & deck ring due to mast/deck sagging from years of water. The close-off plate cuts down 98° of water/debris now.

In another pic, I cut two SS round vents (on the straight sides) purchased from Waste Marine. This can be done with the mast up. I cut round holes on both sides of the mast & attached the vents. I now have cross ventilation down low & get venting from the top of the mast.

Luckily for me, while the mast was stepped, I used a drill bit to grind out six 1/4" half-round notches on the bottom edge for water drainage; 3 per side. I now have venting for drying and notches for draining any water that gets in. I also notched the ring bottom (aligned with the mast notches) for draining water that may collect in the ring center.

When needed, I can remove the vent plate & vacuum out any dirt etc. The pic showing the vent plate is not a close-up, but you can see the plate.

CR

 

[Sanman]

Thanks Captnron! thats a good idea about the vents! I may try that next weekend, at least I would be able to vacuum most of the crud out now. I'm not planning to haul her until this time next year, and may consider stepping the mast at that point for painting, so I will copy your base plate idea then as well!

On another note, do you know Rick Meyer?

 

[dj2210]

Like Capntron I recently put a plate on the top of my mast to mount the windex and wind instrument on. It covers the whole slot on top of the mast head. I also cut a 3" hole a few inches above the halyard exit at the base of the mast. Made a cover plate out of aluminum and screwed it to the mast. This allows access to the wiring connectors fairly easy and also could be used to vacuum out debris that has got inside. When we pulled the mast I had about 3 inches of dirt almost level with the wiring pvc tube sticking up.