Wet in the Rain

[Elwin Schwartz]

on my recently purchased 29.5 (1995) i notice water coming inside the cabin appprox 10-12" in front of forward bulhead along the port and starboard walls during heavy rain. i checked all of the stanchion fittings, and the chainplates ,as well as the bow pulpit fittings, and all seem to be dry. i did notice some water coming down the mast support and the inside of the wood plates in the ceiling around the top of the mast support were wet also. i therefore suspect the leak is coming thru some opening at the mast base and running down to the sides of the cabin, but don't readily see it. has anyone had this problem, and also any suggestions?

 

[Bill Murray]

check wiring conduit

If yours is similar to mine the wiring from the mast head lights and antennas go through a short (too short IMHO) vertical conduit and into the cabin interior. One year I did not caulk this and had rainwater in the area all summer. The rain gets inside the mast through the many openings and accumulates at the base. The wiring conduit acts like the drain on your sink! Most everyone at my club puts caulking in there when they step the mast each spring. Use something pliable which won't turn into concrete for you. I use a putty that stays soft and pliable. I also wrap it in plastic rigger's tape to create a rain sheild to deflect most of whatever gets in there.Of course you could have a leaky mast tabernacle (base). My old boat had that one -- pull the mast - unbolt all -- rebed the fitting and reassemble.Good LuckBill MurrayGood Faith1995 H29.5 #175

 

[Alan Kibbe]

You may need a

drip loop in your wiring bundle if it's like mine (1994). My mast wiring harness comes through the hole in the mast step, into the compression post, and out a hole in the side of the post. If the wires are pulled straight out the side of the post, rain water in the mast will follow the harness and run right out the side of the post and into the headliner. What you can do is loop the wiring harness a little further down into the compression post and then back up and out the hole in the post. That way, the water running down the wiring harness drips off the bottom of the loop, down the inside of the compression strut, and into the bilge.