H30 Compression Post Support Problem

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Steve Young

I'm about to purchase a 1982 Hunter 30. The surveyor recommended repairing or replacing the I-beam support in the bilge below the compression post. So far everyone I talk to has a different suggestion on how to do the job, or on whether or not the job even needs to be done. Here's a photo of the offending part. All suggestions are greatly appreciated. As you can see the fiberglass cladding around the beam has cracked off and the beam is rusted, but is still fairly sound.
 

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Brian

My post....

My post looked worse than yours and I haven't replaced it yet. I can't say with any confidence that it will be fine for a number of years or if yours is OK by just looking at a picture. What I did do though, was purchase some Ospho from the hardware store and put it on the post. It creates some kind of reaction that turns rust black and keeps it from spreading. Then I painted the post. I figure if I stop the rust from spreading, then the metal inside the post will remain in tact. I am crossing my fingers, but don't worry much about it. I also have a float switch in the bilge that kicks on before the water gets to the post, it looks like yours has spent some time under water. You should try to eliminate that.
 
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steve rainey

30 hunter compression support problem

I've got the same boat with the same problem. Done alot of research, did alot of himming and hahhin. I've seen solutions replacing the whole thing with 2" SS pipe which sets on a SS plate on top of the keel. What I've decided to do as I intend to take this thing off the shore is, Pull the mast. Remove the teak trim around the post on the head side. get a grinder, cut any glass around the Ibeam. Take the Ibeam out and take it to a local steel and plastic shop. Have it remade SS if its not to expensive. All I really need is the something with the same footprint. then replace everything up to the mast if its necessary. This is one project you don't want to have to do again and also you don't need to do it all in SS so it will outlive the boat. If the mast hasn't been taken down you should do that anyways and make sure everythings in good shape. I'm about to start this project in a week or so. Had me worried for awhile, now that I have a plan it doens't bother me any more. looking forward to getting it done. From the looks of your I'd replace it. You sure don't want it coming apart when your out having fun...assuming you do that. All I every do is work on mine it seems... steve
 
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Chris Stone

It's not too hard

I replaced the I-beam on my 1978 H30 a few years ago. The web of the I-beam (the verticle part) had rusted to about 1/8-inch thick. I used a Sawzall with a long blade (for metal) and was able to reach in from the bilge and cut the web in half horizontally. The top flange just dropped out then. The bottom flange was glassed in and I tried a Dremel but it was too weak and slow to cut through all that fiberglass. I ended up using a heavy chisel and a 3-pound hammer to chisel the glass away and pry up the bottom half of the I-beam out of the glass and pull it out. I took both halves of the I-beam to a metal shop and they made up a new one out of stainless. The new one has a 1/4-inch web and flanges. The forward ends of the flanges are tapered to fit the bilge. The shop said it would easily support tons of weight and the original one had once been the same thickness. The new I-beam fit in easily. The mast was already unstepped at the time and the deck and compression post settled less than 1/2-inch when the I-beam was removed. I used a small bottle jack to lift the post so I could fit the new I-beam in. I probably could have just used a crowbar. Then I glassed in the bottom flange and it has been fine ever since. It ended up taking about 2 hours to remove the I-beam and less than 1/2 hour to replace it. It's still going strong. Not a spot of corrosion. All in all, one of the easier repairs. Now, as for my deck delamination .....
 
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Chris Stone

Pretty cheap

It's been a few years but I think it was about $80. It was a buddy so he may have cut me a small break but it shouldn't be alot. I think the I-beam was only about 10 inches long and 8 inches high with flanges about 4 inches wide that tapered at the forward end. Once you cut the old one out, just take it along as a template.
 
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