Deck compression beneath the mast

[Sam Onca]

The deck beneath my deck-stepped mast is compressing causing the rigging to loosen beyond the point where it can be re-tuned. Will the deck reach an end point of compression? (it is fully supported below by a colum that acts as the frame for the head door) Should the rigging be refitted and re-tuned or the deck replaced?

 

[bob G.]

Common Problem

The compression post (column at door head) has rotted and settled. There is more written about this common Hunter problem than you will have time to read in one sitting. Check archives, just type in "compression post" and you will become enlightened.

 

[Brian M H23]

Jack it?

I'm pretty sure that the foot of this column rots and compresses over tme. Replace it, and when you do jack the deck back up to where it should be. (I beleive you just need to replace the base of the column). The other option is if the wood coring under the mast is going..in which case you'll need to replace that.

 

[Howard]

If the compression column is ok look at the deck

On my old H-27 I noticed deflection in the deck right under the mast. The compression post was fine. I traced the problem to the balsa filling under the mast step. The mast lights and antenna cables come up through the deck righ next to the mast and it looks like they let water into the balsa block which turned to mush. As a temporary fix I put a 1/4" amumimum plate under the mast to distribute the load and dried out and calked the electric fittings. I didn't have so much deflection that I had a problem with the shrouds. I did this two seasons ago and haven't notices any new problem. If that doesn't do it and I get more deflection I'll have to cut out the top of the deck around the mast, scoop out the rotted material add some new spacing material and use epoxy slush to hold it into place and then reglass the small portion of the deck back in place. If I'm careful I think I can do it so the deck cut is right in the angle of the little raised fiberglass step that the mast step sits on so the reapir will not be noticable. I think I'd do it form up on deck rather then the under so gravity keeps the sluch in place. It's a silly design to but balsa blocks under the mast and then run the cables throuugh the same area but who would have thunk it in 1978?.....I did make sure that the compression post was OK.Let me kwow what thinks come out.