Galley table question.

[KevinKirby]

Hi all! I am looking at a 1991 Hunter 30T to possibly purchase. It has several age related issues, one of which worries me. It the dining table in the galley. The table is stuck (rusted) in the down position. The current owner says he has never used it. It obviously has rust damage at the base. I am concerned that this rust may be so bad that if I attempt to free the table I will compromise the 'compression pole'. Does anyone have any experience or advice as how to tackle this issue?
Thanks in Advance!

 

[JoeWhite]

I do not have a Hunter, but the table setup is the same. You can remove the screws from the base plate and the tabletop. Then try to apply lubrication to break free the sections.

 

[KevinKirby]

But isn't the 'compression pole' a vital part of the mast structure? My concern is that the rust issue could be so bad that it has compromised that pole base. I'm concerned that if I attack that collar to aggressively I will break loose the pole at its base. L'm just not sure how that is structurally put together. And also....what caused it to get that way initially? The bottom 4-6 inches is rusted pretty bad to where pieces are missing from the outer collar that is the table base. Thanks for the advise all. BTW...I do plan to have a survey done if I do move to purchase. 1991 30T. 15K

 

[Kings Gambit]

If it is a compression post it would not be attached to the mast. They are replaceable with mast up. So if it is “compromised” and you wish to fix it good, take the boat to a yard and have it replace the post if needed or otherwise fix it, then put in new parts for the table.

I had the compression post on my Pearson 30 replaced when I bought it b/c the original wooden one had gotten warped some, so was not straight up. The yard replaced it with a nice SS one. They’re indestructible. All fine thereafter.

 

[jssailem]

sn't the 'compression pole' a vital part of the mast structure

Yes it is.
Like all parts of your boat it is replaceable. If the boat has been compromised by a previous owner, the new owner can address the issue and correct it.
As @Kings Gambit has suggested, asking for professional help with this issue is rational. It is not a simple DIY project.

To address the problem you need to relieve the pressure from the deck stepped mast by loosening the shrouds. This will exposé the mast to instability while you push up on the inside of the cabin roof.

Once you free the compression post you will need to address the base structure that may or may not be compromised. Find a suitable replacement for the compression post. Install it, then retension the mast.

As an overview you might recognize your limitations. If so seek professional help. They likely have gone through this before and can appreciate the pitfalls and the have work arounds that makes their work look easy.

 

[Hollyberry]

It's a bit concerning that Hunter would've used materials that would 'rust'.... perhaps a previous owner's modification?

 

[Claude L.-Auger]

As the owner of an H-34, I have had to deal with the compression post issue and also replaced the rotting BC fir with SS. Attached is a file showing how I did it. My problem was different than yours but the issue of replacing the compression post is the same. I agree with previous posts about recognizing your limits and maybe having a yard do the job. I did it myself with the mast down. It can be done with the mast up but as jssailem says releasing the tension on the shrouds will introduce some instability on the mast. Stepping and unstepping the mast on over 30 boats every Spring and Fall, I will also tell you that while the mast will be unstable, unless you completely release the shrouds or loosen them too much, the mast cannot go anywhere. It's a matter of geometry. The mast is retained by the mast foot and connected to 4 different points from the top to the boat (headstay, backstay, and shrouds on either side). You need to release the pressure to free the compression post but that only requires about 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch. Good luck to you but to pay attention to the idea of getting professionnals to do it unless you've got the werewithals to tackle it yourself. And the previous owner should be responsible for the cost of it unless that has already been taken off the selling price.

 

[Hollyberry]

Definitely a pre-purchase negotiation in the wings on this one!

 

[KevinKirby]

Here is a screenshot of the problem area. The table is mounted to an outer collar that slides up and down on the steel compression post as seen in the pictures. Not sure how the rust even began but if it hasn’t been budged in 20 years… These pics are not from the Hunter I'm looking at. This one obviously functions properly.

 

[kellerd]

Had the same problem on my Hunter 35.5. The rust was on the lower sleeve that travels the post at the lower plastic bushing. No amount of lube helped. Ended up using an angle grinder to cut off the lower end of the sleeve. Then reused the bushing at the new ‘end’ and drilled new set screws into it to hold it in place. in my case the post itself is covered in plastic and it is fine.

 

[KevinKirby]

Thanks Kellerd! That's the exact way I was going to approach it if I ended up purchasing the boat. My fear was that the rust may well have made its way into the compression post and compromised it also. Maybe that's not the case and my fix will be similar to yours. I am going to go ahead with the survey and proceed from there. Thanks for all the replies!!