How to remove mast foot from Hunter 34

[Globe Pilot]

Good day all!

Last year I bought a 1984 Hunter 34. Had it surveyed and from what I read, it seems to have avoided compression post rot. However, there are spider cracks radiating from the mast foot, which I'm going to assume are from improper rigging tuning for now. I'd like to remove the foot so I can grind off the gel coat, perhaps add a few more layers of glass then re-coat. I'm wondering if the bolts holding the foot on can be removed from above, or if I have to remove paneling in the cabin to get at nuts. It isn't obvious and I didn't want to start pulling apart an important part of the structure without knowing exactly what I'm doing.

I realize I could just grind out and fill the cracks but I think it will look better to have a uniform surface on the mast pad, rather than trying to color-match 36 year old gel coat to blend in the crack repair. I'd also like to take the gel coat off in case it is cracking because it's too thick/brittle and to see what the glass underneath looks like.

Thanks,
Jason

 

[DJAY]

The fasteners come out from above and the step should pop off fairly easily. Make sure the drain(s) are unobstructed and seal the conduit well when you reassemble to preserve your compression post...

 

[kloudie1]

Mast step bolts are threaded into an embedded aluminum plate so they should be removable.. I second what DJAY says about the drains, and also be sure the wire conduit is a half inch or so above the bottom of the step plate to keep water from entering..
I'd be very suspicious of the hairline cracks around the mast step. My compression post was not rotted but the wood filler in the cross beam that it bears on was rotted, allowing the mast base to compress the cross beam causing spider cracks in the gel coat around the mast step.If you lay a straight edge on the beam where the compression post touches the beam underside, there should be no dimple caused by the post indenting the beam bottom. If there is dimpling deformation, the wood in the beam is gone and the step will have to have the support in the beam replaced .. Picture of the depression and of the beam cracks from the mast loads crushing it.. My post was not rotted..

 

[Allan12210]

As DJay and Kloudie1 say. The fasteners are under the mast, threaded and tapped into the aluminum plate. Luckily the deck core material under the aluminum is synthetic, not wood. But below that in the beam, was originally a piece of timber laid sideways. Mine had so much removed to allow passage of the wires, and it is off center from the mast to the post that it crushed. If you see a divit with a straight edge as kloudie1 describes, it's time to investigate further. BTW, I made my standpipe about 6" higher than the deck so I could create a loop with the wires before entering. That way water runs down the wires, past the pipe and not into it. I sealed it with silicone as the mast was being re-stepped.

 

[Globe Pilot]

Thanks for all of the help! I'm a long-time listener, first-time caller I'm heading back to the boat tomorrow so we'll see what I'm dealing with.