I am about to tackle the cabin top depression on my 1979 Hunter 27. My buddy and I plan to loosen the stays and inch the mast forward a few inches. We will build a temporary mast step to hold the mast base in place while making the repairs. We will then remove the area of the cabin top that contains the mast step. Remove the rotten stuff as per several previous postings. Replace with end grain balsa epoxied in place. Replace the cabin top. Then put a stainless steel or aluminum plate and set the mast back in place. Our specific questions are: 1. Has anyone done this repair without removing the mast from the boat? 2. Does anyone have a photo or drawing of the cabin top with the mast removed? 3. We need to know if there are pins in the mast bottom which correspond with holes in the cabin top. The mast is a Kenyon. Hunter tells me Kenyon is no longer in business. Hunter could not help with the question #2. 4. How do you fastened the stainless steel plate to the boat? Will the epoxy be sufficient to hold the plate in place? Do we need to have some bolts from the plate down into the cabin top? The boat is located on an inland lake and we cannot have the mast removed without hauling the boat as the yard does not have a crane.
Cabin Top Depression Repairs
- Thread starter Lamar Miller
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Have this photo from 79 Hunter 30
I have had the mast of my 79 Hunter 30' off twice. I do not know if it is a Kenyon but I have Kenyon insturments (wind direction, speed) which also do not function. Kenyon now only makes stoves. I have repaired the soft spots around the mast by drilling from the top using the West expoxy system. I have attached the only photo I have of the mounting. Good luck Ian s/v Meant to Be
I have had the mast of my 79 Hunter 30' off twice. I do not know if it is a Kenyon but I have Kenyon insturments (wind direction, speed) which also do not function. Kenyon now only makes stoves. I have repaired the soft spots around the mast by drilling from the top using the West expoxy system. I have attached the only photo I have of the mounting. Good luck Ian s/v Meant to Be
Thanks, Ian...
I neglected to photograph the mast step area while the mast was down. The photos I have of the cabin top were taken at an angle and don't show the area under the mast in any detail. My buddy and I wanted to find out what was there before moving the mast. I think there are some holes in the cabin top for wires and possible some pins the steady the mast base. I guess we will find out when we move the mast! Lamar
I neglected to photograph the mast step area while the mast was down. The photos I have of the cabin top were taken at an angle and don't show the area under the mast in any detail. My buddy and I wanted to find out what was there before moving the mast. I think there are some holes in the cabin top for wires and possible some pins the steady the mast base. I guess we will find out when we move the mast! Lamar
Bolts
There are bolts holding the mast step in place. They are fairly small diameter ( phillips head ). I cannot imagine how you will be able to do that job without removing the mast. The stainless or aluminum plates mentioned in previous posts are used as the CORE material instead of balsa or marine ply, so they are epoxied in place but then glass is laid back over them. They are not outside the glass on top of the deck ( unless I've missed a thread ). I did see one H30 in baltimore that had a metal plate on top of the deck under the mast step....it's a thought.... See the pictures of what I found under my mast step to see why I think it can's be done without removing the mast. http://www.geocities.com/attiraj/H30maststep.htm And there was no real indication of rot other than a slight depression about 1/4 inch around the mast step. I'm trying to find a picture of the step before it was all removed. If so I'll post. John
There are bolts holding the mast step in place. They are fairly small diameter ( phillips head ). I cannot imagine how you will be able to do that job without removing the mast. The stainless or aluminum plates mentioned in previous posts are used as the CORE material instead of balsa or marine ply, so they are epoxied in place but then glass is laid back over them. They are not outside the glass on top of the deck ( unless I've missed a thread ). I did see one H30 in baltimore that had a metal plate on top of the deck under the mast step....it's a thought.... See the pictures of what I found under my mast step to see why I think it can's be done without removing the mast. http://www.geocities.com/attiraj/H30maststep.htm And there was no real indication of rot other than a slight depression about 1/4 inch around the mast step. I'm trying to find a picture of the step before it was all removed. If so I'll post. John
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