I would like to get some opinions on my problem with mast compression. I race my boat and I became,shall we say, over zealous when tightening my outer shrouds.My question is can I jack up the cabin ceiling without screwing something else up.It is quit obivious by looking at the salon cabin hatch that the deck is compressed as the ceiling just forward of the hatch is depressed along with the hatch moulding.The compression post needs to be shimmed better and I was wondering what would be the best way to do this. The deck itself is constructed with end core balsa but I was wondering what is underneath the fibre glass directly under the mast root,and if need be how do I repair the problem. My concern is ,would you lose the integrity of the deck by cutting away the area directly under the mast root and what should I replace the damaged area with? Any comments would be greatly appreciated. P>S> My mast is presently stepped and is sitting beside my boat(on the hard) my boat is a US 30 Regards Ron Sloan
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Susan Annala
Maybe I can help
Ahoy Ron....Maybe I can help....I sell yachts in San Diego. One of my newer listings is a 30' US Yacht. If you want to send me an email with you phone number and email address I will give it to the owner and maybe he can shed some light on your problem. Here is the email address. psyachts@hotmail.com. Susan San Diego
Ahoy Ron....Maybe I can help....I sell yachts in San Diego. One of my newer listings is a 30' US Yacht. If you want to send me an email with you phone number and email address I will give it to the owner and maybe he can shed some light on your problem. Here is the email address. psyachts@hotmail.com. Susan San Diego
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Bob
Same Problem - Different Boat
Hi Ron, Repaired a similar problem with a Sea Sprite 23. The cabin top had progessively buckled over several years by at least 2" due to failure of the mast support system and deck core. The mast support was not a direct compression post but sounds like the problem is similar. Think the Sea Sprite damage was a lot more extensive. Had to removed and replaced the mast support system (arch) with a similar design with more than adequate strenght. Used jacks to put the new support in place and push the cabin top back in place. Removed the fiberglass skin from around the mast two foot by three foot. Made this cut carefully so the skin could be reused after replacing water damaged core with exterior grade plywood. Used WEST SYSTEM and mixed filler appropiate for each area being repaired. After the fiberglass skin was replaced - used a small router tool to outline the cut line in the deck. This provided a smooth void which was filled with WEST SYSTEM and looked like it was an original detail. Sailed the boat hard and sold her after 4 years. The repair is now over 8 years old and still looks great. I would open the area around the mast base to see what failed, why and make repairs. By the way- also used a piece of sheet stainless shaped in an oval to cover damaged fiberglass around the base of mast on an other boat. Remember, the compression loads under sail are quite high and don't think your tightening shrouds is the real problem. Good Luck
Hi Ron, Repaired a similar problem with a Sea Sprite 23. The cabin top had progessively buckled over several years by at least 2" due to failure of the mast support system and deck core. The mast support was not a direct compression post but sounds like the problem is similar. Think the Sea Sprite damage was a lot more extensive. Had to removed and replaced the mast support system (arch) with a similar design with more than adequate strenght. Used jacks to put the new support in place and push the cabin top back in place. Removed the fiberglass skin from around the mast two foot by three foot. Made this cut carefully so the skin could be reused after replacing water damaged core with exterior grade plywood. Used WEST SYSTEM and mixed filler appropiate for each area being repaired. After the fiberglass skin was replaced - used a small router tool to outline the cut line in the deck. This provided a smooth void which was filled with WEST SYSTEM and looked like it was an original detail. Sailed the boat hard and sold her after 4 years. The repair is now over 8 years old and still looks great. I would open the area around the mast base to see what failed, why and make repairs. By the way- also used a piece of sheet stainless shaped in an oval to cover damaged fiberglass around the base of mast on an other boat. Remember, the compression loads under sail are quite high and don't think your tightening shrouds is the real problem. Good Luck
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David Foster
Rot in the mast step?
I have no idea what the set-up of your mast step is, but the symptoms sound exactly like my '77 Hunter 27 displayed when the balsa core under the mast step had rotten. Without the core, the fiberglass top and bottom, and the cabin liner were flexible enough to deflect around the top of the compression post as you describe under the 1 ton+ of downward mast compression at proper rig tension. An undamaged "sandwhich" of glass-balsa-glass is very stiff, and will not distort in this way. The fix was to remove the mast step hardware, and carefully cut away the fiberglass (including an extra layer of plywood and glass to reinforce this area) over the sandwich, exposing the rotted balsa. This was scooped and routed out with Dremel tools until clean, unrotted wood was exposed. (2 to 4 inches back under the top glass layer in our case. Then we flattened the bottom fiberglass layer by grinding and build-up. A one inch (thickness depends on the specific dimensions) aluminum plate was then epoxied in place (aluminum is cheaper than epoxy, and gives us excellent stiffness and load spreading) flowing the epoxy under the fiberglass to the clean balsa. This takes time to allow layers of epoxy to cure. Then the top fiberglass layer, marine plywood, and last fiberglass layer were rebuilt so that the mast would step at the same height as designed. The step hardware (which is bolted through the sandwich) and mast electrics (in a tube that comes up from the cabin in the center of the step) were remounted using a "drill-fill-drill" approach to line all the holes with epoxy, and prevent recurrence of the problem. The mast step was set with 5200 as the last waterproofing step. The result is a mast step with no deflection over the compression post, and solid, waterproof (well for another 25 years anyway) construction. You could do all of this work yourself - it was pretty standard fiberglass/epoxy lay-up. I had it done at a local yard with a reputation for glass work for about $1,500. David Lady Lillie
I have no idea what the set-up of your mast step is, but the symptoms sound exactly like my '77 Hunter 27 displayed when the balsa core under the mast step had rotten. Without the core, the fiberglass top and bottom, and the cabin liner were flexible enough to deflect around the top of the compression post as you describe under the 1 ton+ of downward mast compression at proper rig tension. An undamaged "sandwhich" of glass-balsa-glass is very stiff, and will not distort in this way. The fix was to remove the mast step hardware, and carefully cut away the fiberglass (including an extra layer of plywood and glass to reinforce this area) over the sandwich, exposing the rotted balsa. This was scooped and routed out with Dremel tools until clean, unrotted wood was exposed. (2 to 4 inches back under the top glass layer in our case. Then we flattened the bottom fiberglass layer by grinding and build-up. A one inch (thickness depends on the specific dimensions) aluminum plate was then epoxied in place (aluminum is cheaper than epoxy, and gives us excellent stiffness and load spreading) flowing the epoxy under the fiberglass to the clean balsa. This takes time to allow layers of epoxy to cure. Then the top fiberglass layer, marine plywood, and last fiberglass layer were rebuilt so that the mast would step at the same height as designed. The step hardware (which is bolted through the sandwich) and mast electrics (in a tube that comes up from the cabin in the center of the step) were remounted using a "drill-fill-drill" approach to line all the holes with epoxy, and prevent recurrence of the problem. The mast step was set with 5200 as the last waterproofing step. The result is a mast step with no deflection over the compression post, and solid, waterproof (well for another 25 years anyway) construction. You could do all of this work yourself - it was pretty standard fiberglass/epoxy lay-up. I had it done at a local yard with a reputation for glass work for about $1,500. David Lady Lillie
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Bob
Rot in the mast step
Ron, I was having a boat surveyed yesterday and ran into this problem. We found the deck to be OK, with the first signs of hairline cracks. The compression post was OK. The cabin sole showed the hirline cracks. Under the cabin sole, is another block of wood that is fiberglassed into the forward end of the bildge. Drill a small hole in the fiber glass and probe this block. We found it was rotten!!. I'm trying to work out a fix today. Will let you know if we can remove the wood and replace it with two stainless plates and a jack screw between. If you have any ideas, lets hear them.
Ron, I was having a boat surveyed yesterday and ran into this problem. We found the deck to be OK, with the first signs of hairline cracks. The compression post was OK. The cabin sole showed the hirline cracks. Under the cabin sole, is another block of wood that is fiberglassed into the forward end of the bildge. Drill a small hole in the fiber glass and probe this block. We found it was rotten!!. I'm trying to work out a fix today. Will let you know if we can remove the wood and replace it with two stainless plates and a jack screw between. If you have any ideas, lets hear them.
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ron sloan
sole rot
HI BOB;I have limited experience with the catalina 30'.Correct me if I am wrong but is the sole fibre class?It is obiviously a lot of moisture in the bilge.To much maybe.I had the same problem with my US 30'. I replaced the block with hardwood blocking. Prior to putting the new blocking in I treated it with a 2 part solution called 1S solution.It is a Canadian product. I think WESTSYSTEMS would have the same stuff.It seals the wood forever and is much cheaper than stainless steel.It has been in for five years now and still looks brand new. Just a thought. Regards Ron Sloan
HI BOB;I have limited experience with the catalina 30'.Correct me if I am wrong but is the sole fibre class?It is obiviously a lot of moisture in the bilge.To much maybe.I had the same problem with my US 30'. I replaced the block with hardwood blocking. Prior to putting the new blocking in I treated it with a 2 part solution called 1S solution.It is a Canadian product. I think WESTSYSTEMS would have the same stuff.It seals the wood forever and is much cheaper than stainless steel.It has been in for five years now and still looks brand new. Just a thought. Regards Ron Sloan
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ron sloan
mast compression
Thanks Dave; Your suggestion sounds great and thats what I'm going to do Regards Ron
Thanks Dave; Your suggestion sounds great and thats what I'm going to do Regards Ron
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