There is a leak that is coming into the salon area though the mast and the compression post. Not a lot but is a concern. I sail a 29.5, 1994 Hunter. Any thoughts on what I may need to do?
Mast leaks
- Thread starter BryMer
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I had one too. We
got the yard to caulk around the cables entering the mast. I am not sure if that fixed it or not. I have not been on board during a storm yet.
got the yard to caulk around the cables entering the mast. I am not sure if that fixed it or not. I have not been on board during a storm yet.
Unique
That's about the only place left on my 29.5 that doesn't leak. They say constant usage leads to leaks, and I've got them coming in everywhere. Solution is small handtowels, and removing the cushions to the table for safe haven. Then I take them off end of August.
That's about the only place left on my 29.5 that doesn't leak. They say constant usage leads to leaks, and I've got them coming in everywhere. Solution is small handtowels, and removing the cushions to the table for safe haven. Then I take them off end of August.
A simple solution
with the 29.5 is to create a service loop with the cable bundle coming down the mast so that the water runs down the inside of the compression post and into the bilge. Rain water will follow the wires down the mast and out the hole on the side of the compression post and into the headliner. If you bring the wire bundle straight down into the compression post so that it is below the exit hole, then turn it 180 degrees and come back up to the exit hole, the water will drip off the bottom of the loop and into the inside of the compression post.
with the 29.5 is to create a service loop with the cable bundle coming down the mast so that the water runs down the inside of the compression post and into the bilge. Rain water will follow the wires down the mast and out the hole on the side of the compression post and into the headliner. If you bring the wire bundle straight down into the compression post so that it is below the exit hole, then turn it 180 degrees and come back up to the exit hole, the water will drip off the bottom of the loop and into the inside of the compression post.
Never Give Up
Bill, I sympathize with you. I chased leaks all over my 1995 29.5, which I purchased new. Always water in the bilge, mildew on the headliner, damaged cushions, etc, etc. I spent two months last spring and finally got her watertight. My beloved Partner and I finally weakened, and dug out all of the caulk around the rub-rail (.. how much must she love me, eh?..) and refilled with 3M marine caulk. Using a smoothing tool, we ended up with a visually appealing result, and all of leaks disappeared. We had fixed all the obvious canidates, but water that enters a defective rubrail will travel up to 29.5 feet before it find a means of ingress. The Seal between upper and lower halves of the hull is NOT PERFECT - despite what the Hunter Engineers will tell you. The only place I have yet to find a permanent fix for is the area where the anchor locker retaining latch enters the starboard side of the hull, where Hunter very kindly drilled a through hole with no means of sealing! It was a brutal couple of months, but I do now have a permanently dry boat, and we use ours constantly. If you haven't replaced the Caulk, you may want to try that as a last resort. I wouldn't even contemplate a removal of the rub-rail itself, as reinstallation is difficult, and the simpler method solves the problem.
Bill, I sympathize with you. I chased leaks all over my 1995 29.5, which I purchased new. Always water in the bilge, mildew on the headliner, damaged cushions, etc, etc. I spent two months last spring and finally got her watertight. My beloved Partner and I finally weakened, and dug out all of the caulk around the rub-rail (.. how much must she love me, eh?..) and refilled with 3M marine caulk. Using a smoothing tool, we ended up with a visually appealing result, and all of leaks disappeared. We had fixed all the obvious canidates, but water that enters a defective rubrail will travel up to 29.5 feet before it find a means of ingress. The Seal between upper and lower halves of the hull is NOT PERFECT - despite what the Hunter Engineers will tell you. The only place I have yet to find a permanent fix for is the area where the anchor locker retaining latch enters the starboard side of the hull, where Hunter very kindly drilled a through hole with no means of sealing! It was a brutal couple of months, but I do now have a permanently dry boat, and we use ours constantly. If you haven't replaced the Caulk, you may want to try that as a last resort. I wouldn't even contemplate a removal of the rub-rail itself, as reinstallation is difficult, and the simpler method solves the problem.
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