Water in Bilge

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Oct 29, 2012
346
Catalina 30 TRBS MkII Milwaukee
Got the boat sitting on the hard. Had gave the bilge a fresh coat of paint. Went to give it a second coat and found it wet. Not much, but enough as so I had to wipe it out and let dry before appling my second coat of bilgekote.
The boat is all covered, but this year chose not to unstep the mast. The deck and everything completly dry.
Now it did rain, and rained hard. Did this water come down the mast?
Summer months I always assumed that a little water came from the refrigerator or ice chest, shower drain. That much water from rain? Wow.
Any thoughs on preventing rain water enrty through the mast?

Thanks,


If it dosen't get cold and snow here I will have pulled it for nothing, and have wasted these great sailing days!
 
Dec 1, 2011
75
Catalina 1984 C30 Tall Rig Bow Sprit MD
Condensation. Ports leaking. Hatches leaking. Packing gland leaking. Rain coming in under the crib boards.
 
Oct 29, 2012
346
Catalina 30 TRBS MkII Milwaukee
No...Deck everything completely dry...The boat is fully covered with canvas over a pvc tube frame. It doesn't leak in a gale in heavy seas. Sure won't leak through the crib boards being covered.
Only entry possible would be down through the mast head, that I can determine. Had rain come past the canvas around the outside of the mast, there would have been evidence of that. And that would not get water in the bilge.
It's actually pretty toasty warm inside the "tent".
 

Jimm

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Jan 22, 2008
372
Hunter 33.5 Bodkin Creek - Bodkin YC
"Any thoughts on preventing rain water enrty through the mast?"


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I gave up on stopping rain water from coming down the mast/wiring. Only happens in heavy rain. Put some antifreeze in the bilge for the winter and sponge it out periodically in season ......
 
Mar 11, 2010
292
Catalina Tall Rig/ Fin Keel Deale, MD
We pulled our mast and I drilled and tapped an aluminum plate to cover the top of the masthead fitting. It doesn't completely cover over the sheaves but it does cover over the middle, open part. Keeps 95% of the bird poop out and it added a nice mounting surface for the anchor light and windex.
With the mast pulled, you can also address the deck plate bedding and the fitting where the wiring goes through. Make sure the yard creates a "rain loop" with the wires before they stuff it down the cabin compression post conduit. Lastly, add weep holes to the very bottom of the mast. Some have suggested slightly grinding some very small relief arches around the base at a few points where the mast meets the deck plate (easier to do with the mast on racks, but not impossible after the fact using a Dremel and a diamond wheel blade.

Rob
 
Last edited:
Jul 8, 2011
704
Catalina 30 Sidney B.C.
When I had my new furler installed the rigger said the top of my mast was open and a plate should be put over it as water collects at the bottom of the mast bulids up and runs down inside of post , he recomended drilling a hole 1/4 in 1 inch of deck at bottom of mast to drain water , I did this and have no water since , still have not done masthead
 
Oct 29, 2012
346
Catalina 30 TRBS MkII Milwaukee
Thanks Rob, Jimm, and Lost,
I like the idea of the weep holes and/or "archs' on the bottom of the mast.
Well, we had some rain/sleet here and no water in the bilge, must be that heavy down pour we had here last time.
The idear of a drip loop should have been a no-brainer, next time I unstep the mast I'll do these couple of ideas.
I think I'll do as Jimm suggests, little anti-freeze and stop being too anal. Although I'lll take a look at the weep hole yet today.
Thanks Again Guys!!!
 
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