Compression post and step measurements needed

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twobitdad

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Nov 19, 2012
12
Hunter 30 Palacios
I have a 78 Hunter 30 that i bought last fall, in working on a few deeper issues concerning the mast, step, keel block and compression post. This model has a carbon steel I-beam as the keel block (think I have he part named correctly) since it is basically in the bilge it rusted quickly. It appears that this was caught early and some substantial teak blocking was put into place. The mast is strong and tight and I see no issues however, with a close inspection, topside, the step seems to have a slight bow downward. on the interior the cabin roof appears to have a slight dip whihc would coincide with the previous. The bulkhead does not match the ceiling an hits in the middle but is about a 3/8 inch off on either side.

My conclusion is that the keel block and teak blocking added have allowed the compression post to drop about 3/8-1/2 inch. This is not a issue other than mostly cosmetic but it is one of those things that bugs me so I want to raise it back to the correct hieght or get enough info to supress my emotional issues with it.

What I need to know is the measures, both what to measure and what that measurement should be for the various elements around the compression post.
Secondly, how the heck do I lift it to add blocking? I can clamp to the compression post and lever or jack this up but not sure of the issues around this. I dont think it will take much force.

Any comments are welcome and if anyone can take some measurements and let me I would greatly appreciate it.
 
Marybeth and Rip

Marybeth and Rip

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May 21, 2004
172
Hunter 31_83-87 Milwaukee South Shore Yacht Club
Compression Post

I have a 1987 Hunter 31 so I can't give you measurements. However, I can tell you what we did. Our compression post was just two 2" by 4"s covered with teak veneer. We loosened our mast stays a little to take the pressure off the mast step. Then we jacked up the cabin top bulkhead with a basement beam jack. This is the kind that screws up at the top.

We took the veneer off the compression post and it fell out. "The veneer was all that was holding up the cabin top". We then measured "Very carefully" and cut a 4" by 4" piece of Ironwood and installed it. We wore out three router bits cutting s slot in it for the masthead wires! Ironwood will never rot and is so dense it won't float. Lots of folks replace old compression posts with an aluminum I-beam but that does not seem very "Yar" to me. Yeh, I know. I sail a Clorox bottle. But it is a Yar Clorox bottle. :)

We reinstalled the veneers and tightened up the stays. Been two years and so far so good.
 
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