Should I put a backing plate on these bolts for the mast step on my H22? There is some cracking in the gel coat. Recently removed the it and wondering if I should use butyl or something in there too?
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- Thread starter Viesail
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I don't have a backing plate on mine. The cracks just look like spider cracks in the gel-coat. Gel-coat provides little to no structural strength for the fiberglass. Gel-coat provides a UV protection and water barrier to the underlying fiberglass. While they don't look pretty, and you can fix them, its not necessary.
That looks like an interior shot of the ceiling just forward of the compression post right? Make sure you don't have any water intrusion there - it looks like some of the cracks radiate from some plastic fitting - ?? It is a bit odd to me as well in that my 22 did not have through-bolts for the step.
You do not want a backing plate on the mast step. The day may come, hopefully not, when you may loose a shroud and get dismasted. Screw holes are easy to fix but take a chunk out of the cabin top where the mast sits and you may as well ditch the boat. From the photo, I could not tell what I was looking at but Clark pointed out it looked like an interior cabin shot. I would not recommend that the mast step be even through bolted. The purpose of the mast step is to keep the bottom of the mast from sliding horizontally. The forces involved are minimal and mainly when the mast is stepped or takn down. That is the reason why short wood screws are usually used. Once the mast is up it is pressed to the step by the tension of the shrouds and only requires light anchoring at the step to stay in place. Those long bolts you have there are not doing much and could cause quite a bit of damage if ripped out. You could pug the holes from the inside cabin and fill the holes from the top with an epoxy. Before the epoxy dries insert wood screws that will get some bite into the wood. I would say 1" long screws would be plenty. We take trips on a trailerable Starwind 223 and while sailing in the Chesapeake Bay going to St. Michaels we had a structural failure (suspect a failed clevis pin letting loose a shroud) we lost the buckled mast overboard. At the cabin top there were four shallow holes where the mast step had been attached. Since it was an accident the insurance company paid for a new mast and riggin and the holes were filled in with an epoxy and wood shavings new slightly thicker screws were used and the step was attached prior to the epoxy setting. That was around 7 or 8 years ago and it still going strong.
Yes it is an interior image of the through bolts. The image was flipped when upload, here it is again with the correct orientation.
So this is a faulty modification here? This configuration was existing when I purchased the boat a few months ago. I really have to fill the hole and reseat the mast step?
So this is a faulty modification here? This configuration was existing when I purchased the boat a few months ago. I really have to fill the hole and reseat the mast step?
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It would be a good idea and at the same time you would get those nuts and bolts out of sight and restore the cabin liner to its original. You may not have to take the mast down. Just remove two bolts at a time and plug those holes and once those two are dry and done do the other two. Purchase stainless steel wood screws to fit no longer than 1". Plugging those holes and filling them with epoxy will also prevent water from sipping in and weakening the wood in that area.
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