fixing leak at Mast

[Zen]

Greetings
This is my first post here and I am seeking an answer for a friend.

My friend has an Ariel that needs to have the mast re-stepped. There is a leak coming in through the strongback and down into the cabin where the wires for the light in the mast come through. SInce the mast has not been stepped in awhile the gasket that stops the water is crumbed to nothing. One of the PO's drilled two small holes in the base of the mast to let the water out that comes in from the opening at the masthead. However since the gasket is gone the water does not build up in there to flow out of these holes, but goes right into the cabin. I have tried spraying some harding foam in there for her, it did not last. As the foam did not really get that hard and the water just ...well mostly melted it.

She can not afford right now to have the mast stepped , since buying a new condo. I have offered to climb the mast and put a hood ( like a bonnet) over the masthead to keep out most of the rain ( rainy season here).

Anyone have any suggestions on something to fill in the mast base to stop the leak until she an have it re-stepped?
I'm thinking, drill a little larger hole, maybe .5in and fill in the base with something like 3m /4200. Also do the same from inside the cabin up into the hole where the wires go up into the mast.

Any suggestions on a better plan or method until the mast can be dropped?

thanks

[Tim]

So, if I read this correctly, the mast is actually currently stepped, so you cannot access the leaking gasket in question. And she can't afford to have the mast unstepped to allow access, and the restepped.

I'd say that for a temporary fix, you do whatever it takes to stop the leak; the water isn't doing anything any favors. Unless the boat has been repaired or modified, it likely has core material in way of the mast step, which is surely not benefitting from the leakage.

I'd look at plugging the opening around the wires in any possible. You should be able to have some success approaching this only from inside the boat; I don't think that attempts to "fill" the inside of the mast around the step with any material will have much success, and would be wasteful of product and create a big mess to be dealt with later.

If the leak around the wires can't be stemmed by sealing from below (which is always tough with wires), here's another idea that would reconfigure the wiring and eliminate this problem in the future.

On the outside of the mast, several inches from the base, drill a large hole, which diameter matches roughly the outside diameter of a piece of 3/4" or 1" hose, such as white sanitation hose. Disconnect the wires from inside the boat and push/pull them up into the mast base, then through your new mast hole. (One of those flexible grabby tools will be invaluable here.)

Install a through hull in the deck near the mast step, being sure that it is clear of all interior and structural obstructions, with the flange on the inside (so that the hose nipple pokes up through the deck). Then, run your wires through a length of hose, stick one end of the hose into the hole in the mast, and install the other end (with wires extending through the throughhull fitting) onto the nipple of the through hull.

Like this:


With the wires removed from inside the mast, you can then seal up that pesky leak completely. I think it will be tough to get a good seal around the wires otherwise, at least until the mast is unstepped.

If for one reason or another this approach is difficult or impracticable now, keep it in mind for a later solution in any event. This keeps the wires outside the mast, making hookup more convenient and ensuring a leak-free installation. It works extremely well. If you want, you can seal the hose where it enters the mast, but I never saw a need to do this.

I've never liked mast wiring that entered the boat through the mast step on deck. Not only does it add stress and difficulty to the process of mast stepping or removal, but it renders the wires--and the seal--inaccessible whenever the mast is stepped. Around here, we usually unstep the mast each year, so the inaccessibility issue is less severe. But I still vastly prefer having the wires outside the mast, where I can hook (or unhook) them at my leisure. The system is also leak-free.

Good luck!

[Ric in Richmond]

Variation on Tim's theme above.

I can't take credit for it.

Previous owner (probably Whitehall Yacht yard in Annapolis) did mast step wiring using waste tubing and stainless steel handrail bases at the mast and the deck..

Came out very nice and very watertight.

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/dd232e86f8.jpg



I can't seem to get freeimage hosting to let you guys see the image. Not sure why.

[kendall]

Also, many trucking, tractor, and aircraft supply resalers carry some great waterproof couplers with about as many pins as you'd need, a lot like the screw in trailer wire couplers. Some are even 'pretty' stainless lackets and totally waterproof. get one with the pin count you need or even a few extra pins for later additions, mount the socket on the deck, and the tail off the mast, they come with caps to close them off when not in use, so you don't have to worry about coorosion on the pins.

used them a lot on outboards, and even on an old hobby racecar all but the starter wire went through one, could change the engine in 15 minutes. (connector set up on spare already)

Ken.

[Zen]

You guys are good !!!!

thanks!

[Peter]

Here's the "Variation" from Ric in Richmond's post:


Neat idea(s) ... both of them. Something to keep in mind when I drop the Vega mast.

[Tim]

I like the idea of using the puplit base hardware on the mast. That's a nice, finished look and is something I must emulate.