Mast (base)

[someday]

Hi
I have a O'Day 30. The mast has been replaced at some point and I seem to be having a leakage problem at the base of the mast inside the cabin.
Where the bottom of the mast sits to the left and under what looks like the fiber-glassed bridge the mast sits on underneath this I have around 3-4inches of water seeping in with a 24 hour period. Would I need to cut out this area out to get underneath it or could I simply fill in the hole which you can see to the bottom left of the bridged area. This goes right through to the other side so to as to let water come from the Head area where the shower is and enable water to go into the bilge. We don't use the shower so I'm not worried about filling in the hole.
I may have to wait until the boat is on the hard and look up through the center board to see if there is a problem.
Just out of curiosity is the base are of my mast normal?
thanks

 

[Dan Gammon]

I have an O'day 28 keel center board. My mast base is glass and has two tunnels, one on each side to allow water to pass from the forward bilge. However my mast base has a metal plate that is bolted to the glass and can be adjusted for mast rake. I do get rain water down the center board pendent pipe. The keel and hull on the 28 are one, no keel bolts. You may have issues in the trunk where the board is pulled up into. Check your thru hull for the head.

 

[Recovering Racer]

If you have a centerboard, I'd check the pendant tube for leaks (along with through-hulls). There is both an inner and outer tube; the inner one is the one to worry about, as it is glassed into the hull, and rises about 4 feet above the cabin sole so that its opening is above the waterline even if heeled. To inspect it, remove the outer tube by first removing the fiberglass covered sheave box on the cabin top, swing the boom to one side, and from inside the cabin, twist and push the outer tube up through the cabin top, exposing the inner tube (you will probably need to tie a messenger to the end of the pendant so it won't disappear down the tube). If the inner tube is corroded, that may explain the leak. Of course, don't rule out water coming down the mast, particularly if you have internal halyards.

 

[rjmck3]

Maybe other source

I have a 1982 O'Day 30 shoal draft, it is built like yours is. I get water in my forward bilge in heavy rain, but I've been thru the remainder of a few hurricains and don't think I ever had 4 inches of water. Are you sure its not coming from one of the forward thru hulls? The head raw water inlet is just to the starboard of that forward bilge and the head maserator thru hull is up in the v-berth and would drain to that bilge. Are you getting water in the forward and rear bilge? The previous reply stated this, as well as the pendant tube but the pendant tube is in the aft bilge. I know they are connected but not until they are almost full and you should be able to see which one is getting the water first.

If you have a centerboard, I'd check the pendant tube for leaks (along with through-hulls). There is both an inner and outer tube; the inner one is the one to worry about, as it is glassed into the hull, and rises about 4 feet above the cabin sole so that its opening is above the waterline even if heeled. To inspect it, remove the outer tube by first removing the fiberglass covered sheave box on the cabin top, swing the boom to one side, and from inside the cabin, twist and push the outer tube up through the cabin top, exposing the inner tube (you will probably need to tie a messenger to the end of the pendant so it won't disappear down the tube). If the inner tube is corroded, that may explain the leak. Of course, don't rule out water coming down the mast, particularly if you have internal halyards.