I am assuming that due to the mast being keel stepped that water will always enter into the bilge, due to the mast being hollow and the mast top having an opening to hold four halyards sheeves, therefore letting rain through. Just want a confirmation on my suspicions. Thanks.
CONFIRMATION PLEASE
- Thread starter twodzusfittings
- Start date
Some masts are closed on top. Yours evidently isn't so yes water gets in. Water also can get in at the partners. There are sealing techniques but any of them can leak.
Google Spartite to get an array of products to use to align and seal the mast opening in the deck while the mast is stepped.
Google Spartite to get an array of products to use to align and seal the mast opening in the deck while the mast is stepped.
That's what happens on my 31. Bilge is always dry except after a rain. It doesn't leak at the partners (e.g. no water comes in when it is sprayed with hose) no water from sink drain, stuffing box, condensation or elsewhere. It is an isomat mast.
I always had a little water that managed to find its way into the bilge after a rain storm. Little means less than ¼". I always act as soon as possible to vacuum or sponge it out. The pic below was taken during my 2018 bi-annual clean and polish of the keel bolts.
This past spring (May 2023), I replaced all the through hulls with stainless and replaced the cockpit scuppers with Marelon. All the through hulls were bedded in 3M 4200. It seems that the water was getting in to the bilge through the sealant around the cockpit scuppers.
Ever since replacing and re-sealing the scuppers (this season anyway), no more water.
This past spring (May 2023), I replaced all the through hulls with stainless and replaced the cockpit scuppers with Marelon. All the through hulls were bedded in 3M 4200. It seems that the water was getting in to the bilge through the sealant around the cockpit scuppers.
Ever since replacing and re-sealing the scuppers (this season anyway), no more water.
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Keel stepped masts almost always leak to some extent. One of the variables is the kind of rain, hard driving rains on out boat will cause leaks, light misting rains much less to no water entering.
Sealing the gap between the mast and the partners is also an issue. We sometimes get water running down the sail track. Waterboot makes a functional boot custom fitted to your mast an partners.
Sealing the gap between the mast and the partners is also an issue. We sometimes get water running down the sail track. Waterboot makes a functional boot custom fitted to your mast an partners.