I have read the reviews concerning the deterioration of the mast compression post on the H31 and others. I do not see any appreciable structural movement of the post, except for a slight difficulty closing the head door and a fine gel coat crack, about two inches long, on the aft perimeter of the flat section of deck around the mast area. I'll be hauling the boat our soon and I am considering replacing the compression post to avoid future problems. I searched the archives for "how to" but found nothing. Can someone lead me to a how to article, or other source, preferably with pictures? Thank you. Ed
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Classic signs of the problem!
Ed: This is classic signs of the problem with the compression post. You can remove the cover of the post and inspect it. The post is fir and covered with teak. When you replace it, I'd suggest that you use a metal (stainless steel or alum) and then build a wood box around it. This is NOT a job for the faint of heart. When you look at what Alan did you will see. If you need repair in you deck, it just makes it that much more complicated. When we did our H'31 #501 our post was rotting and the water had gotten into the bulkhead between the head and the salon area. We did NOT have any seepage into the crossmember or the deck area. Each one of these are different. The main thing is to seal the entire area so water CANNOT enter this area again. That together with a metal compression post should last for the life of the boat. I think that our repair ran about $2500-3000. We had some other things done so I do not have an exact figure without looking at the invoice.
Ed: This is classic signs of the problem with the compression post. You can remove the cover of the post and inspect it. The post is fir and covered with teak. When you replace it, I'd suggest that you use a metal (stainless steel or alum) and then build a wood box around it. This is NOT a job for the faint of heart. When you look at what Alan did you will see. If you need repair in you deck, it just makes it that much more complicated. When we did our H'31 #501 our post was rotting and the water had gotten into the bulkhead between the head and the salon area. We did NOT have any seepage into the crossmember or the deck area. Each one of these are different. The main thing is to seal the entire area so water CANNOT enter this area again. That together with a metal compression post should last for the life of the boat. I think that our repair ran about $2500-3000. We had some other things done so I do not have an exact figure without looking at the invoice.
Compression Post/cross member
When I removed my compression post, the wood was in good shape. It seems my problem is in the cross-member. That's where the fiberglass is bulging and cracking just above the compression post by the entrance to the head. That means I'll be paying professionals to do invasive surgery, replacement therapy on cross member, and then cosmetic surgery on the wound. I plan to use the old compression post when finished.
When I removed my compression post, the wood was in good shape. It seems my problem is in the cross-member. That's where the fiberglass is bulging and cracking just above the compression post by the entrance to the head. That means I'll be paying professionals to do invasive surgery, replacement therapy on cross member, and then cosmetic surgery on the wound. I plan to use the old compression post when finished.
Response to Steve
Steve, Thank you very much for your reponse especially given that you own an 84' H31. Mine is also an 84' H31, hull # 109. The photo forum for replacing the compression post for the H34 is excellent and has many pictures, but I have a couple of questions. 1. I think I know I need to remove the Teak veneers on the compression post to get to it; however, what other items do I have to remove in order to get to the post, remove it, and replace it, i.e. do I need to remove the bulkhead behind the dinette and the head, etc. 2. Does the post rest on the keel on some kind of receptacle, is it glassed in? 3. Is the post glassed in to the top cross member? Your comments seem to indicate that once you expose the compression post, it can be removed with some help (perhaps pushing the cross member to relieve the compression). I think that I can do it myself with some time. My thinking now is to wait until next Winter, remove the mast, put her back in the water without the mast, and thus I will have plenty of time to do it. I presently do not show any damage on the dinette bulkhead, or cracks on the cross member, or any such obvious structural problems, so I think I can easily wait one more sailing season before I undertake it. Besides I like to do my own work in the boat, I just need time to do it right, and it appears that it can be done by oneself. What do you think? I'll appreciate your response. Thank you. Ed
Steve, Thank you very much for your reponse especially given that you own an 84' H31. Mine is also an 84' H31, hull # 109. The photo forum for replacing the compression post for the H34 is excellent and has many pictures, but I have a couple of questions. 1. I think I know I need to remove the Teak veneers on the compression post to get to it; however, what other items do I have to remove in order to get to the post, remove it, and replace it, i.e. do I need to remove the bulkhead behind the dinette and the head, etc. 2. Does the post rest on the keel on some kind of receptacle, is it glassed in? 3. Is the post glassed in to the top cross member? Your comments seem to indicate that once you expose the compression post, it can be removed with some help (perhaps pushing the cross member to relieve the compression). I think that I can do it myself with some time. My thinking now is to wait until next Winter, remove the mast, put her back in the water without the mast, and thus I will have plenty of time to do it. I presently do not show any damage on the dinette bulkhead, or cracks on the cross member, or any such obvious structural problems, so I think I can easily wait one more sailing season before I undertake it. Besides I like to do my own work in the boat, I just need time to do it right, and it appears that it can be done by oneself. What do you think? I'll appreciate your response. Thank you. Ed
Would not do it if you have no signs!
Ed: I would not touch the compression post if you do not have any of the typical signs. The typicall signs are the head door does not close without rubbing on the compression post. 1. Cracks in the crossmember. 2. Cracks in the deck area around the mast. 3. Water marks around the little spot lights that are mounted in the crossmember. 4. Discoloration of the bulkhead that seperates the head and the salon. If you do need to do this repair, you should be sure to seal the end grain of the wood in the cross member. This could be done with West Systems Epoxy. I would also caulk the wire chace that would allow water to get into the cross member. There is a plastic pipe the extends up from the deck. This pipe should be throughly caulked and sealed. This is even more important if you decide to NOT replace the compression post with a metal post. You need to be sure that you everything and anything to keep water from getting into ANY wood areas (deck, cross member, compression post, bulkhead). If you do not protect these areas, you will be doing in again in a few years. I personally believe that the boats that did NOT have the problem in this area were just prepared better from the dealer or the factory. Everyones boat has had water comming down the mast. Only some of the boats have had the problem. If you do not have any of signs of the problems related to here, you can also think about taking a preventative measure by dropping the mast and sealing this area now so you do not have to go thru the repair expense in the future.
Ed: I would not touch the compression post if you do not have any of the typical signs. The typicall signs are the head door does not close without rubbing on the compression post. 1. Cracks in the crossmember. 2. Cracks in the deck area around the mast. 3. Water marks around the little spot lights that are mounted in the crossmember. 4. Discoloration of the bulkhead that seperates the head and the salon. If you do need to do this repair, you should be sure to seal the end grain of the wood in the cross member. This could be done with West Systems Epoxy. I would also caulk the wire chace that would allow water to get into the cross member. There is a plastic pipe the extends up from the deck. This pipe should be throughly caulked and sealed. This is even more important if you decide to NOT replace the compression post with a metal post. You need to be sure that you everything and anything to keep water from getting into ANY wood areas (deck, cross member, compression post, bulkhead). If you do not protect these areas, you will be doing in again in a few years. I personally believe that the boats that did NOT have the problem in this area were just prepared better from the dealer or the factory. Everyones boat has had water comming down the mast. Only some of the boats have had the problem. If you do not have any of signs of the problems related to here, you can also think about taking a preventative measure by dropping the mast and sealing this area now so you do not have to go thru the repair expense in the future.
Inside the cross/member
We've opened up the cross member (above the compression post) on our Hunter 31. I've attached a photo. Hunter used an ordinary pine 2x4 and installed it laying flat. This is unlike the example shown by Allan Haddad in his H34. This may explain why it didn't handle the load from the compression post and the mast very well.
We've opened up the cross member (above the compression post) on our Hunter 31. I've attached a photo. Hunter used an ordinary pine 2x4 and installed it laying flat. This is unlike the example shown by Allan Haddad in his H34. This may explain why it didn't handle the load from the compression post and the mast very well.
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Mike O', I don't see the problem.
Mike: I don't agree with your sumation. There were probably 800-1000 of these boats mfg. I do not think that the placement of the wood made any difference here. Your boat was fine for 15 years. This entire problem is an issue with water infiltration. I am not sure that the wood in this area was much more than just a filler. Not all of the boats have ever seen this problem and I must assume that the wood was the same on all of them. Once the wood starts to decay (rot or dry rot) the filler collapses there is nothing to keep the fiber glass from caving in. My opinion on this problem is that the boats were not properly prepared by the factory/dealers. Granted they started to fail after 10 or so years but it really is/was a factory issue. If this wood was treated with epoxy or properly sealed these problems would have never shown their ugly faces. Have you put everything back together yet? I think that several of the owners have replaced the pine/fir wood with a piece of metal (Alum.). My boat did NOT have any detectable decay in the cross member. My damage was in the compression post and the bulkhead. We now have a stainless steel compress post with a teak wrap over it. Other than a small flange that presses against the cross member, you cannot see any difference. I guess we should all be happy that this was not a major failure.
Mike: I don't agree with your sumation. There were probably 800-1000 of these boats mfg. I do not think that the placement of the wood made any difference here. Your boat was fine for 15 years. This entire problem is an issue with water infiltration. I am not sure that the wood in this area was much more than just a filler. Not all of the boats have ever seen this problem and I must assume that the wood was the same on all of them. Once the wood starts to decay (rot or dry rot) the filler collapses there is nothing to keep the fiber glass from caving in. My opinion on this problem is that the boats were not properly prepared by the factory/dealers. Granted they started to fail after 10 or so years but it really is/was a factory issue. If this wood was treated with epoxy or properly sealed these problems would have never shown their ugly faces. Have you put everything back together yet? I think that several of the owners have replaced the pine/fir wood with a piece of metal (Alum.). My boat did NOT have any detectable decay in the cross member. My damage was in the compression post and the bulkhead. We now have a stainless steel compress post with a teak wrap over it. Other than a small flange that presses against the cross member, you cannot see any difference. I guess we should all be happy that this was not a major failure.
No rot/Bad design
I had NO water decay of the wood inside the cross member or the compression post. The attached photo of the removed cross member pine shows 3 wires inside a void in the structure (aft facing side). This is where the fiberglass had bulged and cracked. The cause was poor design not water migration! The cross member doesn't properly support the center of the mast, the wood is not adequate to the task of handling the load, and the voids in the cross member were not properly filled at the factory.
I had NO water decay of the wood inside the cross member or the compression post. The attached photo of the removed cross member pine shows 3 wires inside a void in the structure (aft facing side). This is where the fiberglass had bulged and cracked. The cause was poor design not water migration! The cross member doesn't properly support the center of the mast, the wood is not adequate to the task of handling the load, and the voids in the cross member were not properly filled at the factory.
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Crack salon view
Here's the view of the crack from the salon looking toward the bulkhead/compression post. Also, has anyone noticed that in the head area, the bulkhead is not tabbed into the side of the boat? It's just held in place by caulk! There are screws at the top and bottom only. I'll be adding two tabs inside the cabinet in the head when I re-install the bulkhead.
Here's the view of the crack from the salon looking toward the bulkhead/compression post. Also, has anyone noticed that in the head area, the bulkhead is not tabbed into the side of the boat? It's just held in place by caulk! There are screws at the top and bottom only. I'll be adding two tabs inside the cabinet in the head when I re-install the bulkhead.
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But Mike!
Mike: I have to stand by my previous comment. Bad design and a failure after 15 years? My H'31 and 'most' of the rest of the fleet of H'31
Mike: I have to stand by my previous comment. Bad design and a failure after 15 years? My H'31 and 'most' of the rest of the fleet of H'31
Ed - Did this last year
I did this repair last year. We get down to Galveston a couple of times a year. Be glad to help. Email me at gherring@alumni.utexas.net if you want.
I did this repair last year. We get down to Galveston a couple of times a year. Be glad to help. Email me at gherring@alumni.utexas.net if you want.
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