Hunter 376 rain boot

Mar 26, 2015
107
Hunter 376 Marina del Rey
My 1997 H376 leaks into the salon from the mast/mast step. I haven’t found a boot that can solve the significant leak problem.
Any recommendations captains?
Thank you.
 
Feb 10, 2004
3,917
Hunter 40.5 Warwick, RI
First, make sure that any drains are fully open at the base of the mast. You probably have a Z-Spar mast and there are weep holes at the base.

Then using a hose test different areas and watch for inside water. It is entirely possible that the leak is not at the mast base but is somewhere else and the water running to the mast on the inside. Try putting tissues or sprinkling talcum powder to detect water trails.

This is not an easy task to eliminate the water intrusion. It will take time and patience.

If you find that the water is coming in at the mast base, and is running down the wire bundle, it is possible to loosen the wire bundle and seal between each wire with caulking and then re-caulk the entire bundle back into the coach roof. I have pictures of my process with this- just ask.

But FIRST, you must determine exactly where and how the water is getting in.
 
Mar 26, 2015
107
Hunter 376 Marina del Rey
Thank you Rich.
The 376 deck, between the dodger and mast step, directs water to the mast step. The weep holes to which you refer are directly in the path of the water flow, in from the dodger out toward the foredeck.. when it rains there is a waterfall from the Velcro covers of the wire bundle.
You pictures will be much appreciated!
Again, thanks for your reply and offer of “photo assist”.
Best Regards,
Tim Hollar
 
Feb 10, 2004
3,917
Hunter 40.5 Warwick, RI
Tim, check out this old thread. I posted all of the important pictures and gave a description of what I had done.


UPDATE: I know I claimed that the leak was solved, but later in 2018 the leak re-appeared. Being pretty much out of ideas, other than drilling holes in the bottom of the mast as suggested by Art Boas, I did nothing. And during 2019, I don't think I had any leaks.

So the problem healed itself? Quite unlikely. So I may just drill the holes next Spring as Art has suggested as well as cleaning out the weep holes that I do each year. Probably a better fix would be to put a loop in the wires or install an inverted funnel, but that required mast removal. I winter store with my mast in so pulling the mast is a rare occurrence. In retrospect, I should have insisted on being present when the mast was last stepped. But the yard works to their own schedule and it is a secret.
 
Nov 24, 2018
27
Hunter 376 Medora, ND
Ours stopped leaking when I ran a bead of caulking of some sort around the plate that is bolted to the deck (at the metal/fiberglass boundary). The water used to drip down on the outside of the stainless post and mess up the tabletop.
 
Dec 14, 2018
48
Ericson/ Hunter Ericson 29 / Hunter 376 Pensacola, FL
Ours stopped leaking when I ran a bead of caulking of some sort around the plate that is bolted to the deck (at the metal/fiberglass boundary). The water used to drip down on the outside of the stainless post and mess up the tabletop.
Did you refinish your table top, mine has damage from previous life. When we moved the boat I sealed the wire bundle in the stand pili under the mast, previously there was just the wires in the pipe.

I want to refinish the table but I am a little nervous since the damage is minimal.
 
Nov 24, 2018
27
Hunter 376 Medora, ND
Did you refinish your table top...
I want to refinish the table but I am a little nervous since the damage is minimal.
Haven't yet but need to. Most of the damage is from water leaking through the screw holes of the deck organizer covers. Last week I finally just expoxied over those holes and I will not put the screws back in. Those covers are plenty heavy to stay there, plus I bedded them with some butyl tape for a little sticktivity.
 
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Mar 26, 2015
107
Hunter 376 Marina del Rey
Hi everyone and Happy Holidays.
I drilled holes at the bases of the mast as suggested by Art Boas and repeated by Rich Stidger. With SoCal’s 1st rain all was good. With our 2nd there was some leaking. The 3rd was a gulley washer but the leak didn’t get any worse. My next action will be caulking around the mast step, maybe this weekend. Pulling the wire bundle , sealing the wires into a single mass, then sealing that mass and stuffing it back up the inside of the mast step will be my last resort.
I just know that the moment I seal the whole bundle something will require another wire, or 2, inside the mast!
Cheers to all and Happy New Year!

Tim
 
Dec 28, 2019
4
Hunter 37.5 Kemah
1 last thing to consider... as I too do not like sealing wires... the hole through the deck, if you have access, you can disconnect the wires and put them through a plastic pipe. you can use silicon to seal the pipe that goes through the hole. i would cut the pipe so it sits about 1-2 inches into the mast (depending on clearances) so that any standing water will drain through your newly drulled holes or the original weep holes. the only water will be from the drip that flow the wires, if you have room, then you can push some of the excess wire back into the mast to minimize the water drips.
 
Dec 14, 2018
48
Ericson/ Hunter Ericson 29 / Hunter 376 Pensacola, FL
The 376 Manuel says "use copious amounts of silicone" where the wires enter the top of the stand pipe. I would seal the wires from the bottom as you stated. Removing the mast is lots of work and expense, when we decommissioned our 376 for the move fromnorth of Atlanta to Pensacola the wires were not sealed at the standpipe and had leaks as a result, when we stepped the mast I as they said used copious amounts of silicone and have no leak.
 
Mar 26, 2015
107
Hunter 376 Marina del Rey
Nauti Sugar and Randy R.
I’ll investigate the PVC idea. If that isn’t reasonable (on my boat) “copious silicon” will be the route I take.
Happy 1/1/2020.
Tim
 
Dec 14, 2018
48
Ericson/ Hunter Ericson 29 / Hunter 376 Pensacola, FL
The stand pipe that is standard on the 376 is about 3 inches above the floor of the mast step.. so adding an additional not more than about 4 1/2 inches total length would add nothing. The wire bundle on my boat almost fits the pipe. An insert would need to be very thin and then sealing it to the original would be one more spot of concern.
 
Apr 1, 2019
14
Hunter 376 Niantic
I have a 376 that has leaked for the past 5 years since I have owned it. I tried what I thought was everything.... For maintenance we had our mast pulled this year and while it is off I have removed the mast step. I found the issue, the caulk that was bedded under the mast step top plate had failed and water intrusion was obvious. So I will clean that up and use a better solution when I reinstall the step. If you look at the mast step there is almost no way water should come in, the wire path is 3" above the deck and if the screw holes (4) are properly sealed the only intrusion possible would be water running down the wires and through the wire path, although possible it should be very little.

This did damage the table which I stripped and refinished last winter (caution, the laminate is very thin, don't sand too much). The flooring was also damaged and replaced from years of leaking before I owned it. If you can't solve the leak, the best solution I had was to tie a small towel to the mast to absorb the water and change it from time to time. Not a great solution but did save the floor and table from more damage.

Good luck!
 
Jun 2, 2018
13
hunter 376 toronto
I'll try and keep everyone updated on my 1997 HUNTER 376 as well. I have leaks coming in through the three LED lights and dripping down on the table. Alot. enough that its obviously rolling down the headliner and finding its way to the 2 lights on the cabin side of the v birth bulkhead as well. i bought the boat 2 yrs ago know it leaked and figured I would find my way through it but no luck yet. I'm pulling the mast this year and will methodically rebed everything if I have to. Addressing any possible route for the water. Its a drag but I really need to address it this year so I'm hitting it full on.
 
Jul 7, 2021
6
Hunter 376 glen cove
Haven't yet but need to. Most of the damage is from water leaking through the screw holes of the deck organizer covers. Last week I finally just expoxied over those holes and I will not put the screws back in. Those covers are plenty heavy to stay there, plus I bedded them with some butyl tape for a little sticktivity.
Has it held? We’ve tried similar but cover shifts