I've been fighting a mast leak for some time now and today i was at the boat and it started to rain and would'nt you know it, the dinning table was getting soaked! ...well here's the deal, all the caulking in the world stuffed up in the pvc tube would not have stopped this leak. several sets of wires (a set being 1-red & 1-black) had a "clear plastic protective sleeve covering them together. no matter how much the tube was chalked, the water was coming in inside the plastic sleeve. i pulled all wires with sleeves down as far as possible, removed the sleeves, pushed the (now sleeve-less)wires back up in the tube. when it's dry, i'll chaulk again. take care, Jim Vincent, Toucan
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bob
40.5 - same problem
i've been fighting precisely the same problem with my 40.5....thanks for your comments...i'm going to check this out on my boat...bob s/v reliance
i've been fighting precisely the same problem with my 40.5....thanks for your comments...i'm going to check this out on my boat...bob s/v reliance
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Arthur Boas
I have the solution
This drove me crazy for 3 years. Basically, water is going to run down your mast wires, and migrate into the pvc tube. You'll have to use 5200, (not silicone), for caulking, but here's the neat trick. Take a 1 foot piece of .250 OD flexible pneumatic plastic tubing, or equivalent, and glue it into the wire bundle with the caulking, so that it is about 2-3 inches up from the bottom of the tube. Make sure once the caulking dries, the tube is clear. Blow into it, and if it is blocked from the caulking, use a coat hanger to clear the junk out. Now, drill a clearance hole into the cover plate which fits around the top of the compression post, so that when the plate is screwed back on, the plastic pipe goes through it. Next, drill a hole in the compression post on the forward side about 4-5 inches from the top, and stick the tubing in it. Drill another hole in the bottom of the compression post below floor level, to allow the water to drain to the bilge. Actually, you'll be surprised to find when you drill this hole how much water is already sitting in your compression post. This is a serious problem which should be addressed in any case. If it is salt water, it's just corrording it out. Let me know if this solution works for you. An alternative is to (ugh!), pull your mast, and thread the wires through an inverted plastic funnel, (then gunk up the funnell throat), which basically sits over the PVC wire tube. Oh, by the way, one last thing. Drill 2 1/4 inch holes at the very base of your mast a deck level, which allows water to easilly drain out. Any questions, my phone # is 416-487-0500 eve. Art Boas
This drove me crazy for 3 years. Basically, water is going to run down your mast wires, and migrate into the pvc tube. You'll have to use 5200, (not silicone), for caulking, but here's the neat trick. Take a 1 foot piece of .250 OD flexible pneumatic plastic tubing, or equivalent, and glue it into the wire bundle with the caulking, so that it is about 2-3 inches up from the bottom of the tube. Make sure once the caulking dries, the tube is clear. Blow into it, and if it is blocked from the caulking, use a coat hanger to clear the junk out. Now, drill a clearance hole into the cover plate which fits around the top of the compression post, so that when the plate is screwed back on, the plastic pipe goes through it. Next, drill a hole in the compression post on the forward side about 4-5 inches from the top, and stick the tubing in it. Drill another hole in the bottom of the compression post below floor level, to allow the water to drain to the bilge. Actually, you'll be surprised to find when you drill this hole how much water is already sitting in your compression post. This is a serious problem which should be addressed in any case. If it is salt water, it's just corrording it out. Let me know if this solution works for you. An alternative is to (ugh!), pull your mast, and thread the wires through an inverted plastic funnel, (then gunk up the funnell throat), which basically sits over the PVC wire tube. Oh, by the way, one last thing. Drill 2 1/4 inch holes at the very base of your mast a deck level, which allows water to easilly drain out. Any questions, my phone # is 416-487-0500 eve. Art Boas
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Vito Ciaravino
another solution
I have also fougth the same problem. What has worked is an expanding cauking material. It is available in West marine and other stores.I do not know the brand but its not hard to get. Basically it expands and fills all the spaces between the wires that are not possible to get to. I hope this helps
I have also fougth the same problem. What has worked is an expanding cauking material. It is available in West marine and other stores.I do not know the brand but its not hard to get. Basically it expands and fills all the spaces between the wires that are not possible to get to. I hope this helps
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Sharon
Stupid question
I have a similar problem. Every time it rains hard I have water coming through the hole at the base of the mast, soaking the salon table and running down the wiring chase and then down the sides of the cabin inside the cabinets on both sides of the boat.This results in soaked cabinet contents and mildewed ash battens. With all the rain we've been getting in the Tampa/St. Pete area it's driving me crazy. What I'm trying to figure out is why Hunter just drilled a hole and ran the wires through it rather than terminating the wires at the deck with a plug. All the mast wiring terminates in a junction box that's just laying in the water in the wiring chase. Can we say short ? What kind of crazy design feature is this!?! I'm planning to have my local yard pull the mast and install a plug for all these wires and thereby eliminating the leak. In the mean time someone suggested silly putty stuffed up there as a stop gap. I'm going to try that this weekend.
I have a similar problem. Every time it rains hard I have water coming through the hole at the base of the mast, soaking the salon table and running down the wiring chase and then down the sides of the cabin inside the cabinets on both sides of the boat.This results in soaked cabinet contents and mildewed ash battens. With all the rain we've been getting in the Tampa/St. Pete area it's driving me crazy. What I'm trying to figure out is why Hunter just drilled a hole and ran the wires through it rather than terminating the wires at the deck with a plug. All the mast wiring terminates in a junction box that's just laying in the water in the wiring chase. Can we say short ? What kind of crazy design feature is this!?! I'm planning to have my local yard pull the mast and install a plug for all these wires and thereby eliminating the leak. In the mean time someone suggested silly putty stuffed up there as a stop gap. I'm going to try that this weekend.
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D. Chris Van Lauwe
Trim Seal
Have the same problem on my Hunter 340. Remove screws from the panel above the table that surrounds the mast. Purchase some Trim Seal from any auto store and stuff it inside. Cheap and it works. Chris Festina Tarde
Have the same problem on my Hunter 340. Remove screws from the panel above the table that surrounds the mast. Purchase some Trim Seal from any auto store and stuff it inside. Cheap and it works. Chris Festina Tarde
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Jim Rushing
Its Your Drain Holes
There is a short pvc tube that passes through the cabin roof from the mast into the head liner. This contains the wiring and is general sealed with some form of RTV, etc. However, when the small drain holes in the bottom of the mast become clogged, the water level rises until the top of the tube is under water. Most of the time the water will migrate down the tube no mater what sealant is used. The best solution is to drill a 1/4 inch hole in the mast just above the mounting collar. Then try to keep the two small drain holes in the mast open. The 1/4 inch hole is your safety hole that keeps the water level from exceeding the height of the wiring tube.
There is a short pvc tube that passes through the cabin roof from the mast into the head liner. This contains the wiring and is general sealed with some form of RTV, etc. However, when the small drain holes in the bottom of the mast become clogged, the water level rises until the top of the tube is under water. Most of the time the water will migrate down the tube no mater what sealant is used. The best solution is to drill a 1/4 inch hole in the mast just above the mounting collar. Then try to keep the two small drain holes in the mast open. The 1/4 inch hole is your safety hole that keeps the water level from exceeding the height of the wiring tube.
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Richard
mast leak
Your problem can be due to improper mast installation. The wireing should be long enough above the mast step plate to allow a "U" shape or sidewase "S" shape in the wireing to stop water from following the wire down through the tubing into the cabin. I had this problem on a Hunter 34. Now no leaks! Water can inter the mast a many locations then follow the wireing down through the chase. Two sharp bends in the wire will stop the problem..
Your problem can be due to improper mast installation. The wireing should be long enough above the mast step plate to allow a "U" shape or sidewase "S" shape in the wireing to stop water from following the wire down through the tubing into the cabin. I had this problem on a Hunter 34. Now no leaks! Water can inter the mast a many locations then follow the wireing down through the chase. Two sharp bends in the wire will stop the problem..
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Dakota Jim Russell
Proper Commissioning
Agree with the in water solutions. But the correct procedure takes place at the time of commissioning and involves having the dealer properly caulk the top of the tube so that water doesn't run down from the top. Clear tubes running around a small group of wires can be caulked or well taped, again from the top. Since at the time the mast is stepped, the concentration is on everything from shroud wires, furling forestays, and alignment of the base of the mast, this step is easily and often forgotten. When forgotten, the suggestions offered are the best one can do until the mast is stepped again. Oh, my 340, yep the dealer forgot and then swore after the mast was stepped and crane gone. So I followed the same solutions as suggested and have had a dry table for three years, including 30 below snowy winters. But it is a poor solution compared to the proper solution. Jim
Agree with the in water solutions. But the correct procedure takes place at the time of commissioning and involves having the dealer properly caulk the top of the tube so that water doesn't run down from the top. Clear tubes running around a small group of wires can be caulked or well taped, again from the top. Since at the time the mast is stepped, the concentration is on everything from shroud wires, furling forestays, and alignment of the base of the mast, this step is easily and often forgotten. When forgotten, the suggestions offered are the best one can do until the mast is stepped again. Oh, my 340, yep the dealer forgot and then swore after the mast was stepped and crane gone. So I followed the same solutions as suggested and have had a dry table for three years, including 30 below snowy winters. But it is a poor solution compared to the proper solution. Jim
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