I had my boat surveyed last year and he told me that the balsa wood under the mast step was most likely rotted and would need to be repaired soon. I was in the midst of an 20 month restoration so I went to work removing the step, that was as far as I went. The step wouldn't budge! It seemed quite solid to me so I decided I would attempt to "rip" it out sometime in the future and for the meantime, 5200'd all the seams and screws. Well yesterday, I happened to glance at the step and noticed that the screws were force out of the holes and there was a bit of receeding at the base. I had stepped the mast just three weeks before. I happened to have some silicon rubber caulking so I caulked the screws and left it to go sailing, what a wonderful day of sailing we had on Buzzard's Bay! I have decided to perform a temporary repair until I put her on the hard in October. I believe I will drill holes at an angle under the step and injet (somehow) fiberglass into the holes. Anyone have a better temporary solution until I can take the mast down an really go to work? Any constructive criticism or advice appreciated, thanks.
The Surveyor warned me!
- Thread starter Before the Bell
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Temporary Repair
Have never heard of it tried on a mast step before, but there is a product called Git Rot, that seems to work pretty good. It is a very thin epoxy, that you inject into the rotted area. It is supposed to absorb into the rotten wood, and set up hard. Not sure how it would work on the balsa coring in a deck, gut I have seen it used on rotten transoms, and it does a pretty good job there. One thing, you will have to cut it out if you use it.
Have never heard of it tried on a mast step before, but there is a product called Git Rot, that seems to work pretty good. It is a very thin epoxy, that you inject into the rotted area. It is supposed to absorb into the rotten wood, and set up hard. Not sure how it would work on the balsa coring in a deck, gut I have seen it used on rotten transoms, and it does a pretty good job there. One thing, you will have to cut it out if you use it.
Git Rot
I used to have very good luck with this epoxy when I had a wood boat. It may be worth a try. It would be temporary, of course. After you inject the area and saturate it as well as possible, watch your rigging tension to be sure you dont compress any further. If you do, it may be time to start that repair sooner rather than later. Rick D.
I used to have very good luck with this epoxy when I had a wood boat. It may be worth a try. It would be temporary, of course. After you inject the area and saturate it as well as possible, watch your rigging tension to be sure you dont compress any further. If you do, it may be time to start that repair sooner rather than later. Rick D.
Forget the temp repair...
I don't know what size your boat is but my guess is the mast is deck stepped and under 27' boat. I would drop the mast. Remove the mast tabernackel. Drill about a 1 1/2" to 2 1/2" hole with a hole saw in the top layer of fiberglass and core only. When the tabernackel is replaced it will cover this hole. Remove the core from that hole plus another 1 1/2" to 2 1/2 " diameter. You want to remove the core under the whole mast tabernackel. The idea is to refill under the whole tabernackel so that it is solid. You can refill this section using West System epoxy with glass fibers or even a body putty (A polyester product like the original fiberglass) like Tiger Hair. It must have fiberglass in the resin. Once filled, sand smooth and spray gel coat to cover and seal the repair. (this gel coat process is actually optional if you set the tabernackel in a full bed of 4000 or 4200 unless there are alot of spider crack around the tabernackel ) Drill new holes and reset the tabernackel in new bedding compound like 3M 4000 or 4200. I would completely bed the tabernackel because a hairline crack around the inital hole ( fiberglass resin can shrink during curing)could allow water to again enter the core. If you don't correct this water problem now the whole cabin top core will rot and the fiberglass will get a spongy feel and then you will have a major repair. The repair I described above could be completed in one day less the resetting of the tabernackel and mast stepping. Hope this helped r.w.landau
I don't know what size your boat is but my guess is the mast is deck stepped and under 27' boat. I would drop the mast. Remove the mast tabernackel. Drill about a 1 1/2" to 2 1/2" hole with a hole saw in the top layer of fiberglass and core only. When the tabernackel is replaced it will cover this hole. Remove the core from that hole plus another 1 1/2" to 2 1/2 " diameter. You want to remove the core under the whole mast tabernackel. The idea is to refill under the whole tabernackel so that it is solid. You can refill this section using West System epoxy with glass fibers or even a body putty (A polyester product like the original fiberglass) like Tiger Hair. It must have fiberglass in the resin. Once filled, sand smooth and spray gel coat to cover and seal the repair. (this gel coat process is actually optional if you set the tabernackel in a full bed of 4000 or 4200 unless there are alot of spider crack around the tabernackel ) Drill new holes and reset the tabernackel in new bedding compound like 3M 4000 or 4200. I would completely bed the tabernackel because a hairline crack around the inital hole ( fiberglass resin can shrink during curing)could allow water to again enter the core. If you don't correct this water problem now the whole cabin top core will rot and the fiberglass will get a spongy feel and then you will have a major repair. The repair I described above could be completed in one day less the resetting of the tabernackel and mast stepping. Hope this helped r.w.landau
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