Rain leaking thro mast step

[Brian10042]

I have a Hunter 30 1993 and the sealing has deteriodated in the mast step resulting in rain water leaking through by the wiring into the cabin, has anyone got any ideas of how to seal this up without taking the mast down please. Has anyone ever taken out the mast support with the mast still up??
I think there is a big job looming :cry:

 

[lbd]

Hi Brian, No solution but I have exactly same issue in 2004 Hunter 33. Tried everything on the surface but to no avail. Interested to see if anyone has similar issue / quick fix, modification etc otherwise mast will be removed within the next few weeks. Will post what I find. Good luck, Mark

 

[robertsapp]

Pretty sure this has been extensively discussed in other threads. Try searching the forum. I know this isn't a fix, just a treatment, but if you make sure there is a proper drip loop in all the wires inside the compression post, any water that does leak through the cabin top will drip inside your post and should drain to the bilge harmlessly.

 

[Keith13315]

I am having my mast stepped this winter fro just that repair. I will see what I get into once the mast is off. I will try to remember to take pictures of what I do and psot them. But to answer your question no easy fix pull the mast.
Sorry
Keith

 

[Steve Dion]

The first thing I would do is inspect the weep holes in the mast step. These holes are sometimes clogged with caulking (not a good thing) or dirt and bugs. This allows the water level to build up and eventually the water can seep into the interior.

This has been a major issue with the 83-87 Hunter 31 & 34. It allowed water to get into the compression post and cross member which eventually resulted in rot and was expensive to repair.

The best thing to do is to remove the mast and fix it before it becomes a major repair job. There should also be a drip loop on the wiring so water does NOT follow the wires down through the mast.

 

[robertsapp]

Not personally familiar with the original poster's model, but on our H336, it's an aluminum mast that sits on a cast aluminum step, that's supported by the fiberglass deck and a stainless steel compression post, which rests on a fiberglass encased block in the bilge. Nothing much there to rot or rust. We decided it wasn't worth the trouble to pull the mast, since down here in Florida the boat stays in the water year round and the only time the mast comes down is to replace the rigging. We just made sure all the wires that came through the cabin top had a drip loop inside the compression post, so that the small amount of rainwater that did make it past the packing and sealant drained to the bilge instead of ending up in the overhead above the liner.