Looking for experiences of others with this problem. I finally proved that the water to the bilge is from water coming from the mast openings and is most likely draining down where the mast wires come in and then down the compression post. I can barely see the wires at the aft base opening of the mast, below the mainsail roller furling gear. I will try to post a photo. From another post it seemed a solution was to drill at 5/16 hole at the base of the mast, based on the concept that the wires came down a hole that was partially raised.... thus when water filled to the top of the raised area came down the hole. But I would like to have some agreement before doing that. (Other Catalinas have a separate tubing, but apparently not this model.)
309 water leaking from mast area with main furling
- Thread starter sailingdeac
- Start date
So true, Don.... but the other post offers a possible suggestion IF IF it is true that the drain hole there is a raised section that attemps to allow water to escape from the base but that it is not high enough to prevent the overflow - or that original seep areas at the base are clogged. Thus one writer bored that hole at the base of the mast and claimed it helped a lot. seems reasonable IF IF there is a raised section. AND that i dont drill into something else. It is so frustrating to have quite a lot of rainwater in the bilge due to this minor design problem. and causes so many to think the water is from another source.
IIRC, the C309 share resources with the venerable C30 group. You could also ask there:
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This comes from this sbo thread by weekendrken:
1992 Catalina 30
Also: www.catalina30.com
I've searched all over. Key in this is that the 309 I think has its own furling main brand. Others have tubes in the fore section of the mast for the wires. Solution has to be unique to this brand of furling main gear.
I also get water in the bilge after a hard rain, about a gallon after the last storm. The mast seems to be the most likely point of entry since the rest of the boat is currently protected by a winter cover. Took a careful look at the base of my mast last weekend and discovered several openings that would allow water to flow out. Two on the sides look like rivets or deliberate weep holes, neither were clogged. Another opening at the forward base of the mast can be seen by looking forward through the mast slot from a few inches off the deck, and shining a light or wiggling fingers to make shadows at the forward base of the mast. I concluded that water can drain out and would not pool inside the mast base. But water may still run down the wires and get in somehow. Maybe the wires were not re-installed with a drip loop last time the mast was re-stepped? I need to check this.
Please post your findings if you make progress with this one.
Please post your findings if you make progress with this one.
We had a C30 that allowed water into the cabin. On that boat there was a set of two sheaves mounted to the side near the bottom of the mast. After removing the sheaves, I was able to add a 90 degree pvc elbow to the stub coming up from the cabin - the theory was that rain would follow the wires down the mast and the conduit stub. But I think most of the problem was plugged drain holes.
I am seeing that during rain, water appears at the base of the compression post near the bilge where the wires are. I also see for quite some time after the rain stops, that water continues to drain. This tells me water is backing up in the topside mast and draining slowly through what is likely a previously caulked hole for the wires - but now is seeping. So, like another post similar but not the identical furling gear, I will be drilling a 1/4 or less hole at the very bottom of the mast - neard the aft end. I will watch for draining through that new hole for considerable time after the rain stops.... I may experiment by pouring water into the base of the mast that is exposed.
Very little water in the bilge today after a heavy rain last night with strong wind directly on the bow (sail slot to lee). These pics show the stbd and fwd weep holes. Pretty sure my mast is an F194 extrusion based on the numbers etched into the port side at the base.
Brad,
Those openings that I think you are calling weep holes are really rivets holding the mast to the mast base.
A hole is drilled through the mast extrusion into the tabs on the mast base and secured by the use of a monel rivet.
Those openings that I think you are calling weep holes are really rivets holding the mast to the mast base.
A hole is drilled through the mast extrusion into the tabs on the mast base and secured by the use of a monel rivet.
Great photos and info!! so it would seem that the wires go down through the hole and only proper caulking at install time will prevent water going down. I guess i could force a whole lot of caulk into the area shown hoping for a seal at the wires. So no hole drilling. I may just give up. 
and make good use of the automatic/manual bilge pump. At least i know where the water is coming from.
and make good use of the automatic/manual bilge pump. At least i know where the water is coming from.
From the look of the photo of the mast base plug it seems like there are big holes for water to escape. I wonder if somehow the bottom of the mast is partially plugged keeping water from getting out. Maybe tape up the gaps in the plug and shoot some compressed air in one of them to see if you can clear any debris? I'm also a little surprised to see the wires in the back of the mast in what looks like the furling area? Does anyone else with a Selden furling mast know if that's typical? In my US Spars mast the wires run in a separate partition toward the front of the mast.
Looking at the Selden mast site at Mast bases & Deck rings : Seldén Mast AB i see even more images showing a vertical hose is said to be in place for the wires. If so then there should be no leak... unless there is no hose or the hose is leaking. Either wiay i see no solution unless the mast is lifted and a good hose is installed.
SO..... From the above image, it looks like the design was to allow water to flow from the aft edge "spacer" as shown, over to where the tube is. But that seem weird because the tube only extension prevents downflow after the area is fully flooded... with hoped for drainage somehow near the base. But if the tube is missing or a worn tube base, water is going to drain down the hole and there is NO way to fix unless take off the mast. But hopefully the tube is there and the entire area is filling up with no draining .... if so the hoped-for drain locations are filled, but where should one drill a hole to allow drainage. I may write the manufacurere. HELP !
My mast is deck stepped. There are weep holes at the mast base to allow the water to flow out over the base onto the deck and back to the seas. I understand this is a common setup. I would have thought Selden also used this method by notching the bottom of the mast. By all means contact Selden and ask support to clarify.
The intent of the tube is to stop water from leaking thru the deck into the interior. You may discover that the water has not weeped out of the mast and as such is waiting for you to lift the mast and drench your feet.
It is also a possibility that the seal on the tube has deteriorated and the water you see is leaking down through the mast step.
If you find the weep holes at the base you may need to clean dirt and crud out from the weep holes. It is on my annual cleaning list of tasks for boat maintenance.
The intent of the tube is to stop water from leaking thru the deck into the interior. You may discover that the water has not weeped out of the mast and as such is waiting for you to lift the mast and drench your feet.
It is also a possibility that the seal on the tube has deteriorated and the water you see is leaking down through the mast step.
If you find the weep holes at the base you may need to clean dirt and crud out from the weep holes. It is on my annual cleaning list of tasks for boat maintenance.
Bt the way the photos show a deck stepped, and my mast is as shown On very close observation of the installation, and the image below, i have to say there are NO weep holes at all. The alulminum mast sleeve fits tightly to the UPPER base where the hose is...and the base has no other water holes in it... thus only hoped for tiny sleeve "missfits" would allow for water to escape. If filled by trash - and i can see no actual "misfitts"- water will fill up the "tank" and eventually continue to go down the upper part of the hose in to the cabin pipe... or drain through a bad spot in the hose. Seems an awful design.
Couldn’t water just flow through the holes in the base the way I have the blue arrow here: