8.0c Mast Compression Post

[klemsaba]

When I bought my boat last summer there were a few items that needed further investigation. The floor under my mast compression post was one item on the list because it seemed like the deck had some deflection to it and the floor seemed to as well.

The bolts I pulled out were basically rusted away and I was worried the compression block under the floor was rotted as well. Short of pulling the whole floor up which looked like a huge job I decided to cut a way the section under the post expecting to find a rotted block. Instead I found the attached image. Sure there was a wood block but only under half the post. The mast post was screwed only to the floor as well. The small pellets I assume is leftovers from the keel? I've read elsewhere that S2 epoxied lead pellets together to form the keel. These pellets are loose and I assume continue back. I bet they have also settled over the years which could explain the weird creaking sounds from my floor when I walk on it and that it doesn't seem very solid.

The good news is the block under the floor seem solid. I probably shouldn't have just cut a section of the floor away and wish I would have done something different. I'm going to replace cut out floor section with a solid block of wood leveling with the floor. The mast compression post will hide the cuts and I'll bolt through to the block underneath. I need to sand and finish off the floor as well.

Does anyone have any other ideas how to put this back together? And yes, it's okay to tell me what I should have done differently... like posting here asking for advice before I had chopped up my floor.

Thanks for your time.

Doug

 

[BobM]

Well, I suppose you could have drilled a few small holes through the floor. That should have allowed you to figure it out. Lack of resistance after the first inch means no block. Wet wood on the drill bit means wet block. I would drill it big enough to get an Allen key in to poke around a bit too. Then you could just fill a hole or two.

I think I will take my own advice and try this out.

Bob

 

[klemsaba]

Good thought. I actually did poke around the four existing holes. 2 felt solid and 2 had nothing. After cutting the square out I realize why this was. Weird that only half the compression post rested on the block.

I also thought about just drilling out each hole with a 3/4" bit and plugging it with a 3/4" wood dowel and reattaching the post. I just couldn't get past the two holes that had no block under them.