Hunter 27 questions

Ed Schenck · Dec 17, 2009

That's a great boat Mike. But you will have to jack up that coach roof and fix the mast support. Here's a link that will give you a good idea of the issue: http://hunter.sailboatowners.com/index.php?option=com_kb&Itemid=267&cat_id=25&page=model&mn=31_83-87 . It's not an H27 but a very similar problem. David from Sandusky will have more definitive information. He has had his H27 inside/out. Best of luck and welcome to the Cherubini family.

Scott B · Dec 17, 2009

Hey Mike, 'bout time you came over to the better forum .....

You'll definitely get a lot of good information on Hunters... and the thread won't even get political

fnuttersny · Dec 17, 2009

Emkay, I did what your doing in 3/09 and basically the same senerio. Lots of stuff in arcive about mast step repair (balsa core with wires/leaks built in to design) My renault ran when I got it but added a 6hp 4stk that I had as spare and give boost.. I have major currents (Hudson river NYC area and north to Beacon). My boat has clean interior 2 year old bottom and hull paint and good sails. Boat is plain jane and nothing extra, no furler and tiller steering. I paid just under three so for the money was worth it. Flash forward 7 months....found leaks around ports which are coming from coach roof and source is teak railings not bedded. There may be some other issues up there but sounds out solid as previous owner did repairs so not to worried. I need to fix mast step but am planing major modification for area (steel pipe with saddle passing through roof via 3inch hole) and so on. I just came accross a deal for a 15hp 4stk two year old yamaha with massive 4stk mount for 1500 a very sturdy set up easy to raise ...best set up I've seen yet. Comes stuck to a Coranado 27 (any body want a boat cheap). I am debating motor because 8hp just not enough for my area and replacing diesel or having inboard desel not that imporant to me.I know it ruins lines of boat and adds some opperational isues but all things considered for me a trade off I think I can live with. So I guess my point is if price is right and you want to do some work it is worth it. Up side: boat is very pretty, i is lovely to sail, wife feels very safe in all conditions, plenty of room below, very sturdy and access to all nuts and bolts I find to be very good. I did not choose this boat but kind of feel into a good deal. I could see this model fully equiped and up graded as a very very nice boat but now it is a 10 to 15K invested. This would have to include an 18hp new diesel, hot/cold press. water, barrier coat and fresh paint all the way around new ports and hatches etc. a real top of the line setup. Anyway just some thoughts from new H27 1979 owner. BTW I am using boat as crash pad in Weehawken NJ for winter. Cheap rate great view ....cheers frank

David in Sandusky · Dec 17, 2009

Search the forums using: rebuild mast step david

You will find a description of our solution to this issue, and some other comments.

Good luck. This is a great boat!

Manny · Dec 17, 2009

Some answers... One of which is to get a surveyor

1) The boat I'm looking at seems to have a solid deck, however the mast is compressing it at the base, what is the cause of this? the ceiling is compressed inside the boat, the post is solid and not rotten at any point, the deck is also solid. What is between the post, the liner, and the keel? Could that part need reinforcement? What have you done to fix this as it seems to be common?

Water, water, water! The mast step compressing is a common problem, water leaks into the core, saturates the balsa (at least that's what mine had), and a couple thousand pounds of pressure eventually compress the area.
The ceiling being compressed is concerning, does the head door close properly? My compression post was in good shape but there is a slight dip in the sole around the area. A digital camera revealed that the stringer that the post rests on settled a little

. From what I have read on this site there appear to be variations, some posts rest on a stringer, others dont. If there is noticeable deformation of the cabin ceiling i'd get a surveyor to look at it. Look to see if the bilge cover is lifted a bit near the bulkhead.

2) What is the deck cored with? Info I come across on this site about other Cherubini Hunters seems to point to it being entirely plywood, no balsa anywhere. The deck on this boat in particular is ok, and has very little hardware on it. The only things that go through the deck are what came from the factory in 1980.

balsa (at least that's what mine had around the mast step - a million of those little squares) dunno about the rest of the boat. I've been doing the "drill & fill" method on my cockpit floor due to water intrusion and can't tell if the wood that comes out is balsa or not.

3) What type of prop is recommended for the weak little Renault?

Check with your local prop shops, they can punch in some info on your engine, transmission, displacement, etc and get you a recommendation. Mine seems to be an oddball with a three bladed prop. I thought it was factory but maybe not. Only gets the boat up to 5.1 knots in calm water

Other than that this boat's in good shape, except cosmetics, peeling deck paint, worn topsides (original gelcoat)

Peeling deck paint? Somebody painted the boat at one time...

Attached are a few pictures, the first is the mast step area cut out for repair, the second is the slight set on the stringer in the bilge, third my big 3 blader.

Manny

Ed Schenck · Dec 18, 2009

Manny is obviously a good source of information for your problem. Of all that David has written about the mast step this link might be the best: http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=196107&highlight=rebuild mast step david . Never mind, the links with spaces/blanks do not seem to copy and paste correctly. See that Phil? But if you do the Search as David spells out above you will see this one.

Oops! Wrong again. Just tested the link and it does work. Not sure how when "mast step david" does not appear to be part of the link.

David in Sandusky · Dec 18, 2009

Try this link:

http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=163661&highlight=mast step rebuild david

David in Sandusky · Dec 18, 2009

On our '77 boat, the compression post (actually two pieces of teak forming and "L") rests on the 1/4 inch fiberglass cabin floor. The floor, in turn, is supported by a stringer covered in fiberglass that is not exactly under the compression post. While this sounds a little dodgey, I have not heard of any problems with it. The bottom of the compression post is not in the bilge, and the compression post carries the load just fine.

David in Sandusky · Dec 18, 2009

A very doable job. The two things we learned were that thick epoxy takes a long time to cure - and you have to make sure it does! And substituting an aluminum plate (say 3/4" thick for the deck layer of wood really works.

Go for it!

Manny · Dec 18, 2009

Emkay,

Cutting through the cabin top and rebuilding the mast step with either ply, fiberglass, or aluminum (or all three) is definitely a project that is diy. I'm concerned with ceiling issue, it points to something else altogether. This is why I recommend a qualified surveyor.
Remember that the rigging is exerting downward force on the cabin top, which is transferred through the compression post, down to the hull somewhere near the keel. Something is failing, either the compression post is rotting which is an easy fix, or something underneath the cabin sole is deteriorating. Cutting up the cabin sole and through the fiberglass into the bilge is a lot of work. Putting that back together as strong as factory will be a challenge.
Speaking of rigging, if things are settling enough that you see deformation of the ceiling inside the boat, how are the shrouds and stays? Can the even be tensioned properly at this point?

Manny

David in Sandusky · Dec 19, 2009

emkay, this picture looks OK to me - just like our h27. The bottom of the compression post (that is the door jamb in the top picture) also looks fine.

If the ceiling liner is collapsing around the compression post, and the arch at the top of the the bulkhead, this is not caused by problems with the compression post. It is caused by the collapse of the wood under the mast step due to water penetration.

So I would address that problem first and see if it addresses the symptoms you see. If not, then there is time to go under the floor liner. I say this because the compression post rests on the floor liner, which rests, in turn, on the stringers in the bilge, one of which is in your second picture. The floor liner is quite strong, and I don't know if it is so easy to cut and then repair back to the same strength. An I don't remember any member of this site doing a repair in that way, either.

Jimboyyy · Dec 22, 2009

My friend Andrew is currently restoring a H 30 1979 and has replaced both the mast step as well as the compression post base which was under the flooring. The compression post base was made from mild steel and was rusting in the bilge. He replaced it with an aluminum I-beam. Hopefully this link will work.

http://sites.google.com/site/sailboataviva/deck#TOC-Mast-Base-Repair

or

http://sites.google.com/site/sailboataviva/Home

he has completed several other projects which are detailed on his web site.

--Jimbo
Dragon Fly '83 H27

Hunter 27 questions

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