In-Mast Furling question

[rpwillia]

I remember seeing some comments a while ago (it may have been John Salley in the 309 forum) stating that boats with in mast furling get more water into the bilge. Why would that be? Wouldn't they also be deck stepped? I agree they are more open in the back, but there should be some kind of weep hole I would thing to drain away any water that gets in there.

 

[SBinNSB]

We have the in mast main and have never noticed any water coming from the mast step....stuffing box and other leaks are a different issue ( fridge, etc.)

SB

 

[jsalley]

Water in my 309's bilge doesn't come from the step. It follows the mast wiring bundle down the through-deck conduit in the center of the step, then down the compression post into the bilge. I've tried numerous ways to seal it, none of which have completely succeeded.

 

[Imbbeamer]

We have in mast furling. Thankfully, in the time we have owned this boat, 18months, weather has not entered the bilge. The PO did relocate the wiring from inside the mast to thru deck fittings. While doing due-diligence on the boat, I asked why he did the relocation. His comments were, due to the boat being in Wyoming and the boat being stored inside during the winter it made stepping the mast easier by not having to deal with wire pinching. Plus with this method the connections are visible and easier to get to.

 

[Witzend]

There is a conduit tube that penetrates the deck inside the base of the mast for the wires to run through. It should stick up a few inches the minimise the chance of water overflow. In certain rain conditions/ angled from the aft, water will migrate into the mast base at a rate faster than can leak out and overflow the tube and end up in the bilge. I drilled a 5/16" hole near the base of the mast for the water to escape from. No problem since.

 

[rpwillia]

Got it. Thanks

I was thinking about it and thinking I had missed something. Thanks for the explanations.