Hunter Coach Top Mast Cable Port

[Upwind]

After saying goodbye to my 1996 376, I am in the market for a new Hunter...this time looking for a slightly larger & younger model. I saw a 2005 44AC last week and a 2007 45DS this week. Both show elevated moisture levels around the mast cable port just to the starboard side of the mast (this is where the cables that exit the mast tunnel below deck). After finding this problem on two similar boats in two weeks, I suspect Hunter did a poor job sealing the cored deck from water intrusion through this port. Has anyone else had this or a similar problem? How did you deal with it?

 

[jssailem]

The Cable fitting sure looks like a probable cause.

How far away from the fitting did the meter show that moisture? Were you able to measure the moisture on the inside to the same circle on the deck?
Is is possible there is an additional source or the rest of the deck show no issue.

If the boat is your next boat, the moisture can be a negotiable discount in price. Check with a marina yard to get a value to use in your discussions.

Such a fix can be a challenge. You first need to be sure you have the source/sources. You need to attempt to dry out the core. Remove all the rotted core. Then there are two schools of thought. Attache the core issue by replacement by cutting the skin (either beneath or on the top). Install new core. Reattach the skin. Andy of BoatworksToday has some great youtube video on this process.

Choice two, is to remove the rotted core and fill the core space with thickened epoxy. Drill a series of small holes. Suck out the moisture. When dry, inject epoxy to fill the void you created.

Finally install a cable deck seal. Something like this from Scanstrut.

 

[Upwind]

John:

Thank you for your response. I have an update: The current owner and I opened up the cable port to take a look at what was going on. We found what is S.O.P. for Hunter - they cut a hole through a cored deck and do not seal the core around it. It appears that this cable port does what it was designed to do which is to keep water from entering the boat. But, because the core is not sealed, over time it wicks moisture into it. In this case the moisture readings are high within a foot of the cable port and fall off sharply from there - generally moving down the slope of the deck.

The core has not been degraded but, as shown in my previous pictures, does register high in moisture content. Once I take ownership of the boat, I will remove the cable port and rebed its fasteners insuring no water is entering the core through these penetrations. Then I will attempt to dry out the core with prolonged, gentle heat above and below the deck. Hopefully I can get the moisture content down to an acceptable level before sealing the core around the deck penetration.

I had a similar problem with my (1996) Hunter 376: Behind the helm station is a removable deck piece which, when removed, allows access to the steering quadrant assembly. There is a removable round deck plate that allows access for the rudder for the emergency tiller. When I removed that deck plate to replace it, dried, ruined coring fell out of the area around the deck plate because Hunter could not be bothered with sealing the core around the deck plate. I was frustrated and somewhat poorer after paying a fiberglass company to pull that deck section up and recore it.

After finding the same problem with a 2005 44AC and a 2007 44DS, I highly recommend to anyone who has a Hunter with this style cable port take moisture readings around it and correct it before it becomes a real (read: recoring) problem.