mast stepped 299 sinking sinking

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Sep 29, 2008
5
Seidelmann 299 St. Pete
Has anyone had their S299 cabin top sink down about 1/2 an inch and dramatic cracks appear in the cabin top near where the mast is located?

Related question is there a "plate" that the mast sits on, which in turn sits on the wooden compression post that is at the corner of the head/sink/shower area?

Is there a chance the mast would start to crash down into the cabin or slip off the cabin top?

This has all happend in the last couple of weeks... I'm waiting on the 'rigging' man to look at the situation.

Someone suggested putting two long narrow aluminum plates on both sides of the compression post to give it some additional strenth.

Any comments/suggestions welcomed.
 
Oct 11, 2009
98
Lazyjack Schooner Fairhope, AL
There were similar problems on some Catalina 30s built in the 70s/80s. Check the bottom of the compression post where it rests on the keel. In the Catalinas the post rested on a wooden block, which in turn rested on the keel; and the block was prone to rot. Probing the face of the block with an ice pick would show the damage.

The fix was either replacing the block, or injecting it with penetrating epoxy to encapsulate the rot and stabilize the wood; and getting to the cause of the rot. In the Catalina, the head's shower drain, drained directly to the bilge, right at the block. Adding an extension to the drain hose, or better yet putting in sump for the drain, kept water away from the compression block.

You'll want to check to see that whatever your compression post rests on, and the bottom of the post itself, are solid.

Do you know if the deck under the mast step is cored or not? It most likely won't be, but if it is it's possible the core has been compressed. The Catalina decks tended to dish a half inch or so under the deck step, when the bottom block was rotted. It was solid fiberglass; repairing the compression block in the bilge, and re-tensioning the rigging, generally allowed the deck to pop back up to its original position.

The aluminum braces for the compression post sound like they would help if the post itself is damaged or rotted in some way and thus not carrying the mast load down to the keel.
 
Sep 18, 2009
70
Tartan 37 Classic 24 St Michaels
There is no plate in the deck laminate to support the mast step in the 299. Early boats even had balsa there, later boats were solid polyester and microfibers in the step area with balsa all around. I suggest unstep the mast repair the laminate inspect the rig while you have it down, if you are like most of us its been to long since the mast has been down for inspection.
 
Sep 29, 2008
5
Seidelmann 299 St. Pete
I've found the layer with microfibers between solid polyester. I also found an aluminum plate under the mast. I totally agree that any boat that is 20-30+ years needs to have the mast lifted up for thorough inspection... I just need to save first.
 
Jun 3, 2010
12
Hunter Cherubini Corpus Christi
Sinking mast, how do you repair??

I have a 1981 Hunter Cheribini 30 ft. and my mast is sinking into the deck. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to fix it? I would expect taking the mast off, cutting holes top/bottom. but what should I expect to be there? how much cutting? how big will the hole be? I had a bad surveyor so this was not brought to my attention when I bought the boat. I also have a second issue too. I have a leak of salt water coming in from a bolt in my keel.. I will repost that in another location, so I need to fix that too. My budget is tight and so I will be doing as much as possible myself. Any help will be very appreciated.

Andrea
direct email is andrea@cowboycapitalrealty.com
 
Jan 3, 2009
821
Marine Trader 34 Where Ever I am
Andrea, Deck compression under the mast is pretty common in older boats. It is not an easy repair for a novice. The mast needs to be removed, the fiberglass on the deck carefully cut out and removed, the core of the deck under the mast must be reinforced. Then the fiberglass section that was cut out will need to be glassed back into place. If you are good at fiberglassing and gelcoat, this can be done so no one would tell. Chuck
 
Jun 3, 2010
12
Hunter Cherubini Corpus Christi
Hi Chuck. Well I am not good yet, but I am willing to try. I have a good mechanical ability and understanding of things in general. I have built and engineered things that engineers should be doing. I have not done much of this yet, but I will work at it until I feel I cannot go further. I have the time right now, just not the $$. How far/large does the hole have to be? do you have the process? ie remove mast.. etc steps? I also have a leak in my keel, and with both costs and problems, I am stuck.. The surveyor has agreed to give me my $ back but $350 is not much to go towards the repairs. I figure that if I cannot fix it myself, I will get the same $ for the boat if I were to sell it, but I just don't feel right about selling something that is this bad. A beginner will get this boat and .. well.. I just don't feel right to give this over for another person to fix.
 
Jan 3, 2009
821
Marine Trader 34 Where Ever I am
Andrea, The steps are pretty much as I outlined and every repair is going to be different. You will need to determine how much of the core of the deck is damaged to determine how big the repair spot is going to be. We removed part of the deck under the mast and removed the core. We then laid in fiberglass matt until the entire 1 1/2 inches under the mast was filled in with solid glass. The problem with trying to sell the boat as is, another good surveyor is going to pick this problem up for a buyer and you will either loose the sale or have to deal with it. Just do lots of research and practice a bit with the fiberglass matt and resins until you feel comfortable enough to get started. In the mean time, unless the mast is coming through the deck, go sailing. Chuck
 
Sep 4, 2009
6
Hunter 27 Upper Chesapeake
I assume that the mast sits in an aluminum "reciever"or whatever you call it (I'll call it "step"0. That step should be screwed down into the deck and coring. I would start by removing the step and just cutting out the deck immediately below it to expose the core. If you are lucky, you may be able to remove the rotted core buy scooping laterally between the deck and the inner liner. If so you can fill up the void which was the removed core with glass mat or simply epoxy, filled and faired flush with the deck. This way you don't have to be concerned with making a gel coat patch to match the deck as the repair will be hidden beneath the step.
 
Jan 3, 2009
821
Marine Trader 34 Where Ever I am
If so you can fill up the void which was the removed core with glass mat or simply epoxy, filled and faired flush with the deck. This way you don't have to be concerned with making a gel coat patch to match the deck as the repair will be hidden beneath the step.
Never fill large load bearing areas with nothing but epoxy. Epoxy is an adhesive and stiffener and has no strength without cloth or matt. Chuck
 
Jun 28, 2006
6
- - Boca Raton, FL
I went through this problem with a 79 Seidelmann 299 back in 1995.
It is quite a bit more involved than it would look like from these replies,
Shoot a phone number to me via email......mfligelman@aol.com......
will be glad to give you allthe information you need.
 
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