I've seen posts from time to tome about mast leaks on Hunters where the mast cables exit the bottom of the mast through the deck.
There are 3 reasons for this:
Water coming down the wires (you can't stop this, as it comes in through the furling slot, wire exits, etc
At the mast base, there should be a PVC tub protruding through the deck at least an inch. If it's missing, not higher than deck, or not installed with 4200 around its perimeter, then it will leak
Next, and very important.
You need to have a drain hole at deck level right above the step.
Without it, water pools up, and goes into the PVC pipe.
Now, what about that water coming down the wires?
Well, you could stuff the PVC tube full of silicone.
Lame idea.
It makes the mast hard to pull, cause now you have to dig out all that sikicone.
Here's the trick
Buy a small plastic funnel, much smaller than the ID of your mast.
Now, lead the wires through the funnel, with the pointy end toward the mast head.
Measure where it needs to be on the cable, for the bottom of it to be just over deck level, plus a built in drip loop going downwards.
Now pack the funnel entrance where the wires go through it with sikicone.
When you now step your mast, carefully guide (DO NOT GET YOUR HANDS IN THERE) the open mouth of the funnell over the PVC pipe.
It's like a little umbrella. No more water down the pvc pipe
There are 3 reasons for this:
Water coming down the wires (you can't stop this, as it comes in through the furling slot, wire exits, etc
At the mast base, there should be a PVC tub protruding through the deck at least an inch. If it's missing, not higher than deck, or not installed with 4200 around its perimeter, then it will leak
Next, and very important.
You need to have a drain hole at deck level right above the step.
Without it, water pools up, and goes into the PVC pipe.
Now, what about that water coming down the wires?
Well, you could stuff the PVC tube full of silicone.
Lame idea.
It makes the mast hard to pull, cause now you have to dig out all that sikicone.
Here's the trick
Buy a small plastic funnel, much smaller than the ID of your mast.
Now, lead the wires through the funnel, with the pointy end toward the mast head.
Measure where it needs to be on the cable, for the bottom of it to be just over deck level, plus a built in drip loop going downwards.
Now pack the funnel entrance where the wires go through it with sikicone.
When you now step your mast, carefully guide (DO NOT GET YOUR HANDS IN THERE) the open mouth of the funnell over the PVC pipe.
It's like a little umbrella. No more water down the pvc pipe