Raising/moving the Mast

[wufibugs]

I have a 1986 Hunter 31 and recently flushed some termites from under the mast step. The mast is deck stepped. I would like to remove the step and see what damage has been doneso I can repair and/or treat as necessary, including the compression post, and reseal the step. I am wondering if I need to lower the mast to do this, or is there a way to lift the mast over the step and move the base a few inches so it rests on something that will not damage the deck while I remove the step and peer nervously underneath.
What does the mast weigh?
Is the step best sealed with caulking or something else?
Does the compression post just pull out through the opening once the mast step has been removed?

 

[Steve Dion]

You will need to r/r the mast to inspect and/or repair the area. If you need to replace the compression post, you will need it removed anyway.

If you end up replacing the compression post, I suggest that you replace it with either aluminum or stainless steel. You can then build a box around it and it will appear as the original without the worry of additional decay.

 

[Allan12210]

If you remove your mast and step all you will see is a 1 inch hole in the fiberglass deck with a short stub of PVC pipe for the wires to pass through. Everything that needs to be inspected is underneath the deck inside the fiberglass beam. The mast is too heavy (hundreds of pounds) to try and move or tip. You need a yard with a crane to lift and support it.

Inside that fiberglass beam is a transverse piece of wood....a 4 x4 by maybe 2 feet long made of douglas fir. If there is an issue, you will start to see the beam develop a bulge as the deck sinks down. If everything is solid the the mast is supported by the direct couple of the wood inside the beam to the top of the compression post. The deck and interior overhead does not support the weight of the mast.

You can inspect for termites inside the boat without removing the mast or compression post. I think the layout of the 31 is similar to my 34. Take the door to the head off its hinges. It should be attached to the front side of the compression post. That front side teak cladding is screwed to the post and serves as the door jamb. Find the plugs and underneath them are the screws. You can remove that jamb and see the compression post and how it has a groove cut into it to allow passage of the mast wiring. Look for bugs there. If there are any you may be able to do spot treatment with a termite spray on the post and up through the hole into the interior of the beam where the transverse block is. It has a hole, or a notch in it too. Then you can put it all back together. Search under the Boat Info>>Hunter Owner Modifications tab above for info on Compression Post repair to see what could be in store. I hope you can deal with this in the easiest way possible.

Let us know what you find.

Allan

 

[wufibugs]

Just a word of thanks to Alan and Steve. Both posts were incredibly helpful. You have both directed me exactly where I need to go, saved me hours of wasted time and hundreds of dollars in what might have been an unnecessary expense. Your posts are perfect examples of what makes this forum and the internet in general such a marvelous tool in our recreational lives. I will do the inspection this weekend. Thanks again.

 

[wufibugs]

BTW, what would you suggest I use to seal between the mast step and the cabin. I could try to clean out with a puttyknife and try to spray in foam or caulk.

 

[Allan12210]

Richard,

It is kind of tricky with the mast in place. I don't know if you can peek inside where the halyards exit at the bottom to see what is going on in there. Everything is sort of a sandwich and was hopefully caulked when the mast was set. There is the hole through the deck. That should have a pipe stuck in that should have been coated with caulk (either Boat Life or 4200) The wires go down the pipe, but with a loop so rain can't run directly down the wires into the pipe and inside the overhead. I formed the loops with excess wire just before my mast was dropped into place and filled the pipe and wires with silicone. The mast step is a flat piece of aluminium that has a raised edge (1/2") the mast goes over so it can't slide around. The step is secured with 4 screws tapped into the deck. Under the fiberglass deck is a 1/4" aluminum plate that the screws thread into. I caulked under the step and the screws with 4200.

In your case, you have to determine if there is indeed a leak. After opening up things inside the boat, use a hose to flood around the deck under the mast. That will be a clue to whether or not the pipe is leaking. After that looks good, you can try and shoot water up and get it to fall onto the top of the pipe. That is the other source of leakage. I don't think the step can leak. It is on top of the solid deck surface. The screws don't go all the way through. Below the aluminum plate is some kind of synthetic solid core (not balsa or plywood there) and then the fiberglass skin of the back side of the deck surface. Water can only come in that hole through the pipe or around it. That is unless you have other penetrations other than stock like radar or something.

If you have a leak, I guess I would try getting silicone around the pipe. You could also try shooting the expandable foam up from underneath into the wire conduit (the pipe) if that is how the water comes in. Just make sure you use a long enough nozzle to really be up inside the pipe itself, otherwise you may just redirect the water somewhere else.

Good luck.

Allan

 

[Steve Dion]

You really need to determine if there are termites in the crossmember and compression post. If there are, you may have a very BIG job on your hands.

Assuming that you only have water intrusion and the members are still solid, I would use penetrating epoxy into both areas. The tube that goes through the should be a couple of inches higher than the mast step. This tube should be caulked in place so water cannot get into the crossmember and the compression post. The mast step should also be removed, cleaned and caulked in place with something like Life Caulk, 4200 or some other quality caulking. Be sure that step is clean and all of the drain holes are clear.

When the mast is down it is a good time to have it professionally inspected and replace any parts if necessary. Then it can be tuned while it is down before it is re-stepped.

 

[wufibugs]

Had a chance to check out the termite/mast step issue on Saturday. From what I can tell, the mast step is well sealed to the top of the cabin. I therefore assume that when I flushed out termites, it was from the passageways in the step that hold the rings [I'm sorry I don't know the proper terminology] to which tacke is connected to the step. What I could not tell is if those passageways lead under the mast step or not. In any case, I squirted some termite poison down and then tried to put some foam in the space just to keep the poison in there. I could see no evidence of damage to the compression post or elsewhere. Hunter, says their rep, has been using aluminum for the post since 90.

 

[Allan12210]

Richard,

Hope the bug problem is solved. Maybe those termites you found were just out house hunting. Also glad you have a solid mast support.

Allan