[C320-list] Mast water leak.

[Onat Dogruer]

Hello all,

Been somewhat new to the group and haven't chimed in much before. My wife and I spent a good chunk of the summer on board, cruising as much as we could. Our boat has endured a lot of pounding, heavy swells and 40+knot winds in a few occasions. All the usual - ports leaking...otherwise, she is a good boat.


However, we have noticed that this summer our mast step has developed a leak at the top of the compression post - the water is penetrating on the outside of the white collar (where the compression post ties to maststep) and slowly making its way down the compression post. This seem to be happening only when it is raining heavily (not even with the water flowing over the bow). When we returned to homeport, we used water from high pressure hose to blast around the mast step and not a single drip!  I've seen the previous posts about the step drains potentially being clogged but this one puzzles us. We just had the mast unstepped last winter for maintenance and there was no problem. So, after getting over the stages of anger, denial, and acceptance, we are preparing to haul out and unstep the mast again this winter (along with a few other projects). From what I observe (I will be able to better judge when we unstep), we will have to rebed the maststep. If
 anyone has worked on a similar problem and has photographs of the top of the compression post and maststep off, please let me know as I would love to see them.I am including the hull/year at the bottom of the email. Otherwise, I will photograph the entire area, including the rebedding of deckstep and top of compression post and post it online. 


-Onat
S/V Kittiwake
1998 #546


________________________________
 From: Brian/Carol McLamb <bjcnmclamb at gmail.com>
To: "C320-List at Catalina320.com" <C320-List at catalina320.com> 
Sent: Wednesday, September 3, 2014 10:45 AM
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Mast water leak.
 

Hello Marek, I also have the in-mast rig and have not noticed this
condition.  There are drain holes at the bottom of the mast at the deck
level where water drains from as long as they are not clogged.  I always
include that in my rinse down procedure after an outing.  Here in NC I have
noticed condensation at the change of seasons due to temperature
differences between inside and outside of the hull.  I
 will be following
this conversation to see if I am missing something, or if you are
encountering the same condition.  Brian McLamb s/v Serenity #1075



On Tue, Sep 2, 2014 at 11:39 PM, Marek Fluder <marekf at gmail.com> wrote:

> I have an in-mast furling and have found out that the opening for the
> furling lets the rain in draining at the bottom of compression post
> into the bilge. Is this a common occurance?
>
> Marek, hull#1028
>