Leak from Mast base

[ED]

I have noticed some water stains on the wood support structure below the mast step inside my Catalina 30.The the boat is a 1978 and I haven't had the mast off. Any ideas on what needs to be done to fix this, and around how much it might cost?

 

[Allen]

One possible cause

Hey Ed,Funny you should mention this...I just peeled away my mast step to install a wing plate under it as part of a project that will bring all of my control lines aft to the cockpit. When I peeled away the step, I saw evidence of a little water that was seeping underneath it. The water wasn't getting into the cabin due to some silicone caulk that the previous owner had applied to the hole in the deck where wires & the VHF cable pass into the boat.It sounds to me like it would be a relatively easy fix, but it would involve taking the mast down. Once the mast is down, the mast step will peel away from the deck. You have to go slow & work it from all sides, but it'll eventually come off. Once it's off, just clean the area with solvent & seal with caulk. I used 4200...I'm sure there are others out there that will do the trick, too. You'll also want to seal the step from water that will inevitably come in from the top of the mast, too, so be sure that the bead of caulk surrounds both the outer edges of the step & the inner edges, too.I hope this helps!Allen Schweitzers/v DrambuieC-30 hull #632

 

[Loeb]

This is a bad sign (sorry). You either have a leak from the mast wires, or something worse. The biggest concern is that the plywood deck core is getting wet and possibly rotting. Hopefully it's time for a bottom job. Unstep the mast while you're at it and do a thorough inspection (under that mastep plate). Your boat's 1 year younger than my 27. Chances are that the bedding at the mast step plate needs to be redone. Get out all water/rot before your're done. After you know more, consult the C30 list.Go to http://members.sailnet.com/email_lists/index.cfmand check out "C30 Discussion List (357 Subscribers)" to join .

 

[Dennis]

I agree with Loeb, this is not a good sign. A few years ago I noticed a depression of the cabin top around the base of the mast. When I hauled the boat for the winter I had the mast removed and cut out the fiberglass under the mast. All the wood was wet & roting. I was able to get out all the wood to about 6" on both sides of the mast and down to the fiberglass liner. You have to be carefull not to cut the wires that go into the mast. Let it dry out as long as you can, then pour GetRut into the remaining wood. Putting it all back together to be structurally sound is very very important. Get help if you are not sure what you are doing.