sailboat mast step repair

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Rotten core around Mast Step-repair

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When I bought my 32'Voyager 4 years ago it had a slight leak at the Mast step. I caulked the Bolts and it seemed to fix the problem but it turns out all it did was keep the water from coming through the bolt holes in the inner skin and the water just pooled inside and rotted out all around the Mast step causing the step to start depressing the deck. I took the mast down this fall with the intention of doing repair in the spring but discovered that the core had totally rotted out for a good foot around the step (maybe more as I haven't opened it up yet but the Fiberglass skin at the front of the step had cracked and you can see in and there is no wood left there. I've read lots of posts here about replacing the core but have had a number of people including one boatyard suggest instead of replacing the Balsa Core with the same to remove the old core and make that area solid fiberglass/West System. My father had a boat repair place repair the deck on his old boat a number of years ago and this is how they did it and it did seem to hold up well. Obviously the weight would be greater but what other disadvantages would there be? Has anyone done this?  

I can't think of any disadvantages, other than the one you mentioned, to making the area solid and eliminating the rot problem completely. You could even lay up a 1/4" plate of aluminum to make it easier to attach deck hardware in the future. I've had a couple of customers that have had this problem. One, whose boat was quite old and well used and who wasn't really concerned about trying to make the area look perfect, I was able to help. The other one, I just referred to a good fiberglass guy. He had major problems all over his deck and was way beyond what I wanted to tackle. .  

I must have read the OP wrong, but it sounded like there's balsa core between the mast step and the compression post ? Balsa core is awful for compression loading. The only production sailboats I've done have been either ply(partners for keel stepped) or solid wood core (deck stepped). Is this standard practice in production sailboats ?  

Just did it...soild is the way to go.  

Any tips or suggestions for me in doing this.  

It is Deck Stepped and as Far as I know it is Balsa. There is nothing left in that area to be able to tell but the report that I had from the Yard that Built it said the Deck is Balsa Core and didn't indicate that there was a different core in the area of the Step. Either way it has to be replaced as it has totally roted out. Don't know yet how far I will have to cut it back though.  

Though solid glass will fix problem,it's probably not best choice unless you have fiberglass experience.Check West System tech site for detailed help.I like Coosa structural foam as core material....1/4 aluminum plate for additional stiffness and thru-fastening is also a great idea. Try to make repair area symetrical,with rounded edges and at least several inches into sound existing core.Don't forget to shim deck to proper position before layup!  

Tip #1 If your deck surface is not damaged do all your work from underneath...that way your head liner covers your work and you don't have to have a perfect finish. Tip #2 Use the tacky resin that they use for hull overhang repairs..for all your overhead glass work...I forget what its called. Tip #3 Use a chunk of 1" or 3/4" iron pipe with a threaded collar as your jacking system..simple, cheap, cant move...get real fancy and have the coupler in the middel of two pieces. Tip #4 Beg, barrow or rent a good respirator, buy a pair or two of those white throw away coveralls and a whole box of single use latex gloves...you will want a good small shop vac and a ton of cardboard and a big roll of that 2' wide blue painters tape to protect your boats interior...borrow or buy a cheap 500 watt halogen work lamp. Fiberglass is an art but its not rocket science..experiment with two or three different ratios of catalyst to see what work time and heat you get..also pay attention to the kick so you learn when to stop messing with it and avoid ruining your cloth layup. Don't go for anymore then 3 layers in one day...it could overheat and turn black on you. Tip #5 Stop in at some boat yard/ glass shop and see if you and chum up to a glass guy with an offer of rum and beer to help you out. Good luck.  

to answers, "SOlid is the way to go" and "it's probably not the best choice" what are your reasons. As far as experience I have a lot of experience with fiberglass (west system) over the years (boat and car repair, canoe construction built a 16' glass over wood boat years ago etc.) I also have a lot of experience with wood (finishing carpenter, fine furniture and Luthier). one problem with wood is If I am going to use Balsa or Coosa I'll have to order it in where as I have everything I need for west system  

superiorvoyager said: to answers, "SOlid is the way to go" and "it's probably not the best choice" what are your reasons. As far as experience I have a lot of experience with fiberglass (west system) over the years (boat and car repair, canoe construction built a 16' glass over wood boat years ago etc.) I also have a lot of experience with wood (finishing carpenter, fine furniture and Luthier). one problem with wood is If I am going to use Balsa or Coosa I'll have to order it in where as I have everything I need for west system Click to expand...

Take a look at this article for some good ideas: WEST SYSTEM | Projects | Fiberglass Boat Repair and Restoration - Fiberglass deck repair-Part 1, Replacing damaged balsa core  

Personally I'd stick with marine ply under a deck stepped mast. Were it my own job, I'd probably run one piece the thickness of the core to replace the balsa with a generous lap, say two or three times the area of the actual step. Another piece of 3/4, cut to the shape of the step with the edges chamfered would provide a pedestal of sorts to avoid the potential for water to find its way in. Again, it's your project so it's your call, but balsa isn't commonly used in area where there's point loading like under cleats and winches but is 'fine' in areas where the entire panel is loaded (like side decks, cockpit seats, etc)  

So even if I go with wood don"t use balsa but use marine plywood. But what is it's advantage over fiberglass? I should mention that I will go in from the top since the deck requires repair where the outer skin cracked due to the compression. As far as the sugestion of stopping into a boat yard or Fiberglass place there are none here. There is a boat yard 140 km away but they don't do this type of repair anyway.  

I'd go solid not wood core of any kind under the mast. Stillraining is right - the only reason builders use plywood is that it is cheaper and is also faster than multiple layers of glass. I'd use epoxy (West as I know it well) and rather than mat and cloth or roving I'd use 1708 biaxial - stitched as opposed to woven roving with mat already attached to one side. It's easier to use and fully compatible with epoxy - some mat isn't epoxy compatible. If your deck is already needing repair going from the top is always the best way - it's easier and the job will turn out better. I'd paint after instead of gelcoat. For a good rundown of this see Tim Lackey's site - Northern Yacht Restoration | Tim Lackey: One Man, One Boat at a Time . He recores decks on a regular basis in his restoration business and documents everything with lots of pics. Just click on one of his projects and follow it along. Hope this helps. Brian  

try this....? I've done this before. If there is only a 1 ft area use stiff wire to dig out all rot wood. Attach vacuum to small tube to help. Get west sys epoxy in a empty caulk tube and attach small tube to end of caulk tube end. Stick tube in access hole and pump away. Don't peel away cabintop. Unless U R a fbgls pro it will never look right  

I think gwp is wrong. The area is over 1 square foot. That's a large area to fill with epoxy that way. Besides, there is little strength to epoxy without fibreglass imbedded in it. And this will be under a mast so it requires strength. You will have to paint, but it's easy to get a fair surface. Just build it up layer by layer (1708 biaxial is about 1/8" per layer I think) and when you are almost level with the deck surface, sand and squeegie a fairing coat of epoxy mixed with fairing filler (West #407). sand and refill any low spots with fairing again until there are no more low spots. Sand lightly and finish with a coat of straight epoxy put on smoothly. Then prepare for the paint you choose. It isn't hard to do it just takes a bit of time. If you can read instructions you can accomplish this. Brian  

I suggested you replace with core material so that deck structure with similar qualities of stiffness and flexibility as originally designed can be maitained.Also,a heavy,solid lay-up can be difficult to fair without removing glass again. Since it is mast step area,all epoxy and 17 oz. material will definitely do the job-I missed the size and type of boat-just be aware if cabin top is lightly built and supposed to give a bit ,it probably won't anymore  

george The cabin top is not supposed to give under the mast step. It should be a solid step supported by a bulkhead, compression post or beam belowdecks. If it was solid from the date of manufacture he wouldn't have this problem. Brian  

mitiempo said: the only reason builders use plywood is that it is cheaper and is also faster than multiple layers of glass Click to expand...

I doubt that Hinckley, Morris or other premium builders put ply under the mast step. Cost really isn't a factor for these builders - quality is. I suggested using multiple layers of biax. Not all at once. Even if you wait until one layer is hard it's easy to wash the amine off with a nylon pad and some water. Exotherm is not an issue if done this way. West epoxy is usable down to 35 degrees f. At these cold temps exotherm is less of an issue. Plywood does have more compression strength than solid wood - of the same species. Fir or mahogany plywood still compresses and under a mast fully rigged it will eventually happen. If any moisture gets in it will deteriorate and that's where we started. As far as core material where core should be used, balsa is far superior in several ways than plywood. Less chance of moisture travelling with end grain balsa, less weight with balsa where the weight is not an advantage, and better bonding to curved surfaces with balsa than with plywood. The following is taken from West's fibreglass repair manual which is free on line here. http://westsystem.com/ss/assets/HowTo-Publications/Fiberglass-Boat-Repair-and-Maintenance.pdf Brian  

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I hate to jump in to ask another question, but would there be an issue in using both plywood and glass? Using just plywood - would you have an problem effectively "tying" the new core to the origanal core?  

Yes plywood could be used - the original builder did. But solid epoxy and fibreglass is I think the ultimate solution. Never again will it compress or absorb water as has happened to get us here. If the plywood is adhered properly and coated in epoxy totally it would work. I think it would take almost as long and be almost as expensive to do this with plywood as with biaxial and epoxy all the way through. The fairing, prepping for paint, and painting will take the longest - and you have to do this with plywood as well as all epoxy and glass. I think the goal is to fix it better than new, not necessarily copy what the builder did. Brian  

Im sorry but i have been watching this and have wanted to ask this but was afraid of sticking my nose where it was not wanted... Has any one ever thought of a using vacuum bag process and building a carbon fiber step assm and bonding it in? The best of both worlds, strong, light and tough as hell. I have made some rather complicated and large items in this manner. A vac-bag step assm will be so compressed that air can not penetrate much less water .  

Please stick your nose in...In short my answer is yes ,but with galss not CF. Please walk us through the process on the cheap so to speak.  

Wow, the process is simple enough. You build a rudimentary mold to make a part, figure out size shape and how you are going to mount, said part. Calculate how much strength you will want lay the carbon mat then pour in the resin. slip a special bad over it and draw a vacuum with either an ac type vac pump or even a hand held brake bleeder pump. The resin will cure in a vacuum and all the air in the structure will be drawn out. Leaving a VERY strong object. The Vacuum has the effect of drawing the layers very very tight. 2 layers of weave and a thin resin leave behind an extremely strong but quite thin part that is air and cavity free. I buy a bunch of stuff from a company called Max Bond while i am not here to push any product they do have a very good 4 min video on vac-bag process on a very low budget. You will have to wade through the sales pitch but read up on the process and it will show one in action.. CARBON FIBER FABRIC 3K 2X2 TWILL WEAVE 6 OUNCE 50" WIDE - eBay (item 220500561712 end time Nov-24-09 16:02:23 PST)  

Ah, gotcha ...different train of thought...I was thinking more in place as in overhead vacuum techniques to suck everything up defying gravity so to speak.  

While there would be a few challenges but if there we a hatch to got on both sides of it..... It could be done! Super strong and air free.. Rather than pile on the glass and resin you could use Styrofoam as a filler or supports. As funny as that founds all F-1 cars use Styrofoam much in the way boat builders used balsa wood. It could be done, i wish i were closer to this guy, we could do a few tests to see but i dont see why not.  

Hmmm...there again though your entering in a compressabal elliment where you do not want one...I would just like a quick clean way to vac any weard inplace profile with solid glass build up myself. As an example..I would not mind adding 1/4" of roving or bi-directional to my whole hull...but adhering such a large area with quality is tough to do .  

mitiempo said: Yes plywood could be used - the original builder did. Click to expand...

Deadeye said: . There are many (most?) production boats out there with plywood that never gives a worry as long as it's encapsulated. Plywood coring just doesn't fail without help - either through water ingress or mechanical damage. Click to expand...

If the original builder used balsa under a mast it was a mistake. The force downward of a mast rigged on a boat will guarantee a failure if this is (was) the case. Plywood is a step better but still compressable over time and when the compression occurs there will inevitably be at least hairline cracking that will allow water in. The water will cause rot because even if the plywood is sealed it will lose the integrity of that seal when enough force is applied to it (tight rigging trying to force the mast downward not to mention the sailing loads). If you're in a colder climate there is the freeze/thaw cycles which are guaranteed to open any hairline cracks further over time. If the skins were thick enough to prevent this over time there would probably have been no reason to use the plywood to start with as the skins would not in any way be in need of a core. Many boats by many builders were built this way and they are having problems 20, 30, or 40 years on. Cores work well if they are kept dry and not crushed by large forces. I don't believe that this is good engineering for all time, just for a while. As to carbon - it would be a waste of money in this case as it's only purpose really is to save weight - a square foot of glass/epoxy 3/8" or 1/2" thick can't weigh more than 5 or 6 lbs. The mast step doesn't have to be super strong on its own - just be non-compressable to transfer the force to the bulkhead or compression post below. I don't believe that F-1 cars are built with styrofoam - in the crash testing videos I have seen it looked like a carbon fibre laminate without foam. Brian  

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Laser Mast step repair

Discussion in ' Sailboats ' started by Bigfork , Jul 26, 2016 .

Bigfork Junior Member

Hi folks. I've got an old 74 Laser that's really hammered and showing it's age. That said, it's still a great learner and she still boogies. It was the boat I learned on. She was owned by my neighbors while growing up. We would pack 5 kids on it, get dropped off at the launch on Flathead Lake, and then smash around on it all day with compulsory dumps, flips, and long paddles... I want my 1.5 year old to thrash around on this thing in a few years . The mast step has been failing for a while. 10 years ago I did a sloppy repair but the time is now to do it right. The pictures show the removal of the old repair and all funky glass on the edge of the sleeve. So I guess I'm looking for process/repair suggestions. My initial thought was to put a plastic wrapped cup in the socket and then glassing a mini "volcano" of filler and glass to basically raise the deck a 1/2 inch or so. Messy, not pretty, but strong. Now though, I think that seems a bit rash...(?) Should I do this: 1. using West 505, tape off underside of deck-sleeve seam (access through the black hatch), make peanut butter filler and goober a fillet in the hole using the tape beneath as a dam. 2. Use a small bit of cloth on the deck surface to cover the newly welded seam. You might be able to see in the picture, the sleeve has a couple of cracks that creep 2 inches down the tunnel. I was thinking of taking a dremel and mining out the crack (cleaning it and opening it a little). More goober in the mined out cracks and wrapping the bits of cloth down the hole a couple of inches to reinforce the sleeve, deck seam. Does this all sound logical? Should I remove the gel coat on the deck to the same measure of the glass fabric to keep things flush, save room for gel coat (likely some white rattle can)? Should I leave my patch filler "square" or do I feather things into the surface. Right now the opening is square-ed off as seen in the pics. I'm a little concerned about how to keep any glass or filler that wraps down the sleeve smooth. If it's a lumpy mess in the sleeve, the mast/sleeve relationship will be compromised...it's got to stay smooth. PS: I can go in through the black port and see my finger in the hole..ie it's open through. Thanks people! (and remember, I'm not after pretty--just strong and functional)  

Attached Files:

P1040687.jpg, p1040683.jpg, p1040684.jpg.

tom28571 Senior Member

Laser used to offer a repair kit for the many mast steps that failed because of poor construction methods. I had to do one of those myself. Nasty job but necessary. Maybe they still offer it.  

bruceb Senior Member

base repair Definitely try to find a repair kit if at all possible as it includes a whole new tube mated to a piece of deck. Check with a laser dealer or maybe someone at APSLTD that sells laser parts. The mast steps from your vintage used to fail when the bottom of the tube became separated from the hull bottom and then the whole tube cracked out of the deck. They could be saved from cracking if an access port was installed forward of the mast and the tube base properly glassed to the hull bottom, and I usually added some glass around the deck/tube from the inside as well. I think you could do about the same thing with yours if you added one other access port and did all the repairs with epoxy from the inside. Of course you will add several pounds, but it should be fine for your use. If your access ports are correctly located, you can also seal the top of the dagger board trunk to the deck and probably stop the usual leak there. B  

Thanks, I'm aware of the mast step replacement kit. I'd rather not go that route as the general shape of the boat is not worth the labor and money for the replacement kit. The foot of the sleeve is still solid, it's just the wear at the top as the pictures show. Can I just fill and glass for a super simple fix that will last a few more years of limited use? thanks.  

CT249 Senior Member

I had a complete mast tube failure that I just fixed by fitting a wooden ring at deck level. Last I heard, the sea scouts were still using that boat years later, so IMHO a simple fill and glass may be fine. However, make very, very sure the rake doesn't change. My boat was an old but goodie I got from someone I was coaching, just to keep my hand in. In the first championship race after I rebuilt the mast step, I scored more points (against me) than I had counted in the whole of my previous two championship series. Having the mast too upright by a couple of degrees had an enormous effect on upwind speed. I'd put the bottom section in and measure the rake before the repair, then check it after the repair and either fill or grind to make sure the rake was back to the right measurement. I basically blew up a great old warhorse by stuffing up my repair; don't make the same mistake. I miss that boat.  

Skyak Senior Member

Bigfork said: ↑ Hi folks. I've got an old 74 Laser that's really hammered and showing it's age. That said, it's still a great learner and she still boogies. It was the boat I learned on. She was owned by my neighbors while growing up. We would pack 5 kids on it, get dropped off at the launch on Flathead Lake, and then smash around on it all day with compulsory dumps, flips, and long paddles... I want my 1.5 year old to thrash around on this thing in a few years . The mast step has been failing for a while. 10 years ago I did a sloppy repair but the time is now to do it right. The pictures show the removal of the old repair and all funky glass on the edge of the sleeve. So I guess I'm looking for process/repair suggestions. My initial thought was to put a plastic wrapped cup in the socket and then glassing a mini "volcano" of filler and glass to basically raise the deck a 1/2 inch or so. Messy, not pretty, but strong. Now though, I think that seems a bit rash...(?) Should I do this: 1. using West 505, tape off underside of deck-sleeve seam (access through the black hatch), make peanut butter filler and goober a fillet in the hole using the tape beneath as a dam. 2. Use a small bit of cloth on the deck surface to cover the newly welded seam. You might be able to see in the picture, the sleeve has a couple of cracks that creep 2 inches down the tunnel. I was thinking of taking a dremel and mining out the crack (cleaning it and opening it a little). More goober in the mined out cracks and wrapping the bits of cloth down the hole a couple of inches to reinforce the sleeve, deck seam. Does this all sound logical? Should I remove the gel coat on the deck to the same measure of the glass fabric to keep things flush, save room for gel coat (likely some white rattle can)? Should I leave my patch filler "square" or do I feather things into the surface. Right now the opening is square-ed off as seen in the pics. I'm a little concerned about how to keep any glass or filler that wraps down the sleeve smooth. If it's a lumpy mess in the sleeve, the mast/sleeve relationship will be compromised...it's got to stay smooth. PS: I can go in through the black port and see my finger in the hole..ie it's open through. Thanks people! (and remember, I'm not after pretty--just strong and functional) Click to expand...

tspeer Senior Member

Besides the deck/cup junction, another problem area on the Laser is the attachment of the mast cup to the bottom of the boat. I had that junction fail while sailing, and the mast ripped up the deck as it came down and levered the cup. It's a tough joint to assess, because there's no access to it. Perhaps it would be worthwhile to drill a hole through the bottom of the cup and hull and insert a bolt, solid rod, or fiberglass bundle that would ensure the shear stress at the bottom of the cup is not entirely reacted by the bond?  

tspeer said: ↑ Besides the deck/cup junction, another problem area on the Laser is the attachment of the mast cup to the bottom of the boat. I had that junction fail while sailing, and the mast ripped up the deck as it came down and levered the cup. It's a tough joint to assess, because there's no access to it. Perhaps it would be worthwhile to drill a hole through the bottom of the cup and hull and insert a bolt, solid rod, or fiberglass bundle that would ensure the shear stress at the bottom of the cup is not entirely reacted by the bond? Click to expand...

Dave Gentry Junior Member

IIRC, the tube is somewhat oval at the deck, allowing the mast a bit of both forward and aft rake, depending on the point of sail. It's been a while since I was racing Lasers, though, so you might want to confirm before adding rings or whatnot. For what it's worth, I would likely glass the deck-to-step joint heavily from the inside, fill the exterior holes with thickened epoxy, then sand down any roughness and call it good. As a point of interest, I've actually been inside a Laser hull, entering through a mast step repair kit hole in the deck, to replace some floatation up front. Exiting was made possible by folks pulling on my feet. I was younger then, and a little skinnier.  

BobBill Senior Member

Aolthough I am sure you have "fixed," (been lurking here) but I can offer one tardy but decent piece of advice, since the effort appears set... "Carbon," applied with care as filler and finish edges and would run a bit of tow around step opening. Should do the trick, unless other issues attend the step.  

Hi folks. Haven't posted in a bit but here's my plan. Because this is just a crash-about boat I've decided against big operation-like the mast step repair kit. Since the tube/deck relationship is only about 30% compromised, I got a new plan. Imagine the area of damage is like a "crescent moon" on only one side of the relationship. I've already got it patched and fared. I sourced some 1" HDPE plastic. I'm going to cut a "doughnut" shape that perfectly fits the dimension of the sleeve. The hole is elongated as the exit through the deck is not a truly round hole (not sure if this is factory or just years of wear). I've got access to a CNC that's going to cut the elongated profile of the hole. This will then be stainless bolted thru the deck to a piece of doughnut greentreat ply beneath the deck, ringing the sleeve from underneath. It's essentially a collar that will help to displace the stress and load at the deck/sleeve joint. The mast will press upon the HDPE with equal pressure just like it does as is leaves the sleeve. Shouldn't change mast rake. The HDPE will sit proud of the deck by it's thickness (1") and basically make the mast sleeve an inch taller. So HDPE doughnut, some 3m5200, 5 stainless bolts/nuts, a chunk of marine ply inside, and done...KISS solution that should last years.  

Bigfork said: ↑ Hi folks. Haven't posted in a bit but here's my plan. Because this is just a crash-about boat I've decided against big operation-like the mast step repair kit. Since the tube/deck relationship is only about 30% compromised, I got a new plan. Imagine the area of damage is like a "crescent moon" on only one side of the relationship. I've already got it patched and fared. I sourced some 1" HDPE plastic. I'm going to cut a "doughnut" shape that perfectly fits the dimension of the sleeve. The hole is elongated as the exit through the deck is not a truly round hole (not sure if this is factory or just years of wear). I've got access to a CNC that's going to cut the elongated profile of the hole. This will then be stainless bolted thru the deck to a piece of doughnut greentreat ply beneath the deck, ringing the sleeve from underneath. It's essentially a collar that will help to displace the stress and load at the deck/sleeve joint. The mast will press upon the HDPE with equal pressure just like it does as is leaves the sleeve. Shouldn't change mast rake. The HDPE will sit proud of the deck by it's thickness (1") and basically make the mast sleeve an inch taller. So HDPE doughnut, some 3m5200, 5 stainless bolts/nuts, a chunk of marine ply inside, and done...KISS solution that should last years. Click to expand...

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SamSam Senior Member

You could grind all around the deck where the mast hole is, wrap the mast in plastic or some other resin barrier, insert it and laminate around it. Probably seal the top of the mast/hole with some clay first to keep the resin from running down inside between the mast and the tube. Start with a bigger circle on the deck and then smaller and smaller until it's built up enough. Pull the mast and then sand the repair smooth, ending up with a smoothly tapered reinforcing ring similar to an ant hill. You should wrap the mast with enough stuff above the mast hole to give the same clearance as the original setup has, or give enough clearance to get the mast out and then finish size it by sanding with a tube wrapped in sandpaper.  

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> > Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums. 11-11-2011, 08:10   Boat: Snapdragon 890 was so it that it had a rather dire case of . It appears to be a common problem on these and the owners club details procedure....... is offset from the centre line by about and inch or so to the right.... I've cut the mast step out from above...... from underneath but I reckon it's easier to make the outside good, rather than try and make the headlining look original again) I've rigged up a jack inside the to get the headlining to the correct height. From there I intend to do pretty much the same as the first picture - stainless bracket, new wooden pad etc. I'm then going to glass the mast step back in place....... Any comments? Ideas? Things to watch out for?? I've been a mechanical for the past 10 years so making sure the mast is sound is simple enough...... but my sailboat knowledge is sadly very lacking so any information would be massively appreciated! 11-11-2011, 08:17   ? You're adding a pad under the mast step and that is fine and good but it concerns me that you're having to jack up the top from inside. Is the compression post crushed? What is under the post? I guess my question is, how is this a permanent fix? 11-11-2011, 08:31   Boat: Snapdragon 890 in There is already a mast pad as standard - it is not in the best of shapes and needs replacing There is no post inside, the bulkhead (or dividing wall between and passageway) is solid timber about an inch and a half thick. Not sure if the mast has been seriously over tightened at some point, I suspect old repair was not done properly, it looks like someone has put expanding foam under the mast step? I thought there would be balsa or similar between the grp and the headlining - there isn't. It is going to be a permanent repair - hopefully stronger than original! 11-11-2011, 08:40   ? See if it is crushing down or if it what it is resting on has been crushed down. Essentially what I am saying is that you need to check the entire string of supports on which the mast weight will fall from top to bottom. The mast sits on the tabernacle which sits on the step which sits on the pad which sits on the bulkhead which sits on...??? Also make sure you use grade for the pad and give it a good coat of just to be sure before reinstalling it. If the old bolts were leaking and letting in I'd also suggest rethinking them. Were they counter sunk? What were they sealed with? 11-11-2011, 08:48   Boat: 1978 CT48 ? Did the "plywood pad" bear directly on it? When you jacked up the ceiling where was the movement visible i.e. between the ceiling and the bulkhead? Can we see a picture from inside? 11-11-2011, 08:51   Boat: 1978 CT48 11-11-2011, 08:51   Boat: Snapdragon 890 although the compression was only present to the right of the bulkhead - possibly as a result of the bulkhead not being directly under the mast. As I say, it's a known fault with this model.... Assuming the bulkhead is sound....... is plywood better than hardwood? I was going to try and find something quite hardcore.... Not sure about the bolts, they heads were in the underside of the existing plywood - essentially making them studs..... I was thinking about doing similar only making sure that checking, resealing becomes part of routing ? Should there be a degree of flex at the point where a mast meets to boat? ie, could I bolt straight through to the stainless support plate or would that make the whole assembly too rigid? And thank you Target, I'm sure some of this is coming under the heading of silly questions and your answers and patience are much appreciated! 11-11-2011, 08:54   Boat: grampian 26 roof is in good shape it seems that it would be a simple matter of replacing the padding under the tabernacle. My boat is of a similar design and is beginning to show similar symptoms. Repairing or replacing the arch may be a bit more involved if it is glassed into the under side of the coach roof. Proper tunenig of the rig is important and should be checked from time to time. Over tensioning the rig can cause the on some to "banana". 11-11-2011, 08:56   Boat: Snapdragon 890 11-11-2011, 08:58   Boat: gulfstar ketch 41 Surya bracket instead of stainless, cheaper lighter easier to work with. I think I would also us plate instead of plywood support pad. 11-11-2011, 08:59   Boat: Snapdragon 890 11-11-2011, 08:59   Boat: Pearson, 28-1 thickness/strength in the mast base area to what it was supposed to be. The compression post and it's base were also completely replaced/rebuilt and the hull was reinforced in ways that helped stabilize the chainplates and to deck positions. If you didn't have canning, cracks/delamination or other signs of structural weakness in related structural areas then you probably don't need to go this far but it's at least worth a look so that you can have confidence in your repair long-term. Jonathan p.s. I posted this before seeing all of the responses,, I'll leave the post but it looks like you are already on the right track in figuring out the related structural systems, etc. 11-11-2011, 09:02   resistant, and has high radial compression resistance. If the boat was built with ply I would assume ply could probably go back in, assuming everything else is alright. Good idea on checking in on those bolts to make sure they don't leak. Also add it to the ships log and highlight it. If you ever sell it you'll want the new owner to know its important. Finally, there will be some flex at the mast-boat meeting point, but you don't really want that. The more rigid it is here the better. I'm assuming that the "SS support plate" that you're talking about is the new bracket in the above? If that is true you should be able to through bolt it but will you have room or will the bolts protrude up into the area where the mast step is? I doubt you'll have room for truly thrubolting and it wouldn't matter much anyway. By the looks of the , those brackets are simply to hold the bulkhead in its proper place, not to take any load themselves. I'd not worry about thrubolting. 11-11-2011, 09:02   Boat: Snapdragon 890 11-11-2011, 09:04   Boat: Sceptre 41 where the mast support had failed after ten years or so. 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Get in touch with us 2006 S Main St Moscow, Idaho 83843 Mon - Thurs, 8am - 4pm PST (208) 892-0764 Organizations & Accreditations Forums New posts Unanswered threads Register Top Posts Email What's new New posts New Posts (legacy) Latest activity New media Media New media New comments Boat Info Downloads Weekly Quiz Topic FAQ 10000boatnames.com Classifieds Sell Your Boat Used Gear for Sale Parts General Marine Parts Hunter Beneteau Catalina MacGregor Oday Help Terms of Use Monday Mail Subscribe Monday Mail Unsubscribe Mast sheaves on O'Day 32 Thread starter Konstantin Start date Apr 22, 2009 Oday Owner Forums Ask An Oday Owner Do anybody knows dimensions of halyard sheaves on the top of the Mast in O'Day32? I mean diameter and width.   Attachments Shoaldrafter Konstantin said: Do anybody knows dimensions of halyard sheaves on the top of the Mast in O'Day32? I mean diameter and width. Click to expand HI! Ed My boat is in Helsinki but I'm in the Moscow at the moment. Therefore I can't measure the sheaves now. I hoped that if I can get to know exact sizes, I can purchase new halyards prior to my trip to Helsinki. In addition I'm thinking about new synthetic halyards (old halyards are steel wire rope). P.S. Usual Russian measurements is metric.   Good question, my main halyard is about 7/16 (I need to measure this to be sure) and I also have a another 3/16 wire rope as a spare working halyard (bosuns chair) A couple of years ago I tried to replace the main halyard by using a paper clip between the halyards and I never could get it past the truck and whats on my list is to inspect those sheaves to see whats going on.   Konstantin said: HI! Ed My boat is in Helsinki but I'm in the Moscow at the moment. Therefore I can't measure the sheaves now. I hoped that if I can get to know exact sizes, I can purchase new halyards prior to my trip to Helsinki. In addition I'm thinking about new synthetic halyards (old halyards are steel wire rope). P.S. Usual Russian measurements is metric. Click to expand Re: Hi all! Konstantin, On my 26 the boom is adjusted by the topping lift which is attached to the top of mast. The bitter end goes to a cleat on the boom. Releasing the end from the cleat allows the sail to hold up the boom, thus adjusting the shape of the sail. Ed K South Carolina, USA   Hi Ed! Thanks for explanation. I didn't understand what is the additional rope on the top of the mast... Now it's clear for me!   Re: Hi Ed! Konstantin: After I posted, I notice that I forgot to say line first goes thru turning block on end of mast then to cleat. That allows for adjusting leach for sail shape. Fair Winds, Ed K   Konstantin: Let me try a 3rd time: Line goes from top of mast to turning block on end of boom to cleat. This allows adjustment of boom height and leach of main sail. I guess a technical diagram would be easier to post. I further guess that the topping lift could be further run to mast again and other blocks to lead back to cockpit so that you do not have to get on side deck to adjust? I might have to add organizer under mast next year to do that. Hummm... Ed K   Konstantin here's a link for a company that can replace the sheaves with new ones for rope halyards http://www.rigrite.com/Spars/SparParts/Sheaves.html Also my 1978 32 has a label down below in the salon on the mast that says Schafer Spars and I've read that other ODays about that age had the same hope this helps identifying your mast for parts   Hi RAD! I was in Helsinki last week and I've bought new plastic sheaves from "Selden". This sheaves enables to use halyards up to 12 mm.   Konstantin nice sheaves! where was the picture taken on the boat, in other words what is that board for? looks like it was taken in the cockpit   Hi RAD! Yes, a photo was taken in the cockpit of my boat.   Konstantin Is the board used as a seat? by the looks of where the picture was taken it looks as though its between the lockers and aft of the wheel in front of the entrance to the aft cabin   It's a small folding table in front of the entrance to the main salon. It's mounted on the steering column. There is a more informative photo.   OK now I see, I have a simalar table on my pedistal. The original picture looked like there was a custom table across the cockpit, its fun to look at other 32s to see what other owners have done for ideas   New sheaves in the top of the Mast.   This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies. Accept Learn more… 252 IMAGES Venture 17 Sailboat Mast Step Repair mast step repair Mast Step Repair Part 2 Ep. 26 (Sailing) Venture 17 Sailboat Mast Step Repair Mast Step Repair Part 4 Ep. 28 (Sailing) Major Mast Step Repair VIDEO CATALINA 25 MAST STEPPING SINGLE HANDED! SEE HOW UGGRADED OUR TRAILER SAILER AND EQUIPMENT WE USE! Sailboat mast step repair ep1: The Grind begins! Hobie Outback Mast Step repair Sail On Alacrity Sailboat Mast raising part2 Climbing the mast of a sailboat using only the hands COMMENTS Mast step broken: is it repairable? Mast step failures are more common in the Laser class and somebody used to market a repair kit composed of a new tube and rather large section of deck that could be glassed into the damaged area. I have seen a few of these repair jobs and they looked like overkill, but at least they got the boat back on the water. Mast step replacement To remove and repair the rotted core: Drill a grid of holes (only through the top layer of the deck). Dig out the rot and dry the resulting cavity as much as possible. Holes 3/8 -1/2 dia. will be a good staring point. Use brad-point drills and start each hole with the drill in reverse to minimize gel coat cracking. Rotten core around Mast Step-repair Calculate how much strength you will want lay the carbon mat then pour in the resin. slip a special bad over it and draw a vacuum with either an ac type vac pump or even a hand held brake bleeder pump. The resin will cure in a vacuum and all the air in the structure will be drawn out. Leaving a VERY strong object. Repair mast step mounting core and cabin deck? The one that is center in the mast step should be a stainless 1/4" lag screw. If that thing is loose then the wood in the center of the compression post may be rotted, but it is teak so that shouldn't be the case. Hopefully any deck rot is isolated to the area just around bolt holes, maybe both or maybe only one. My Laser Mistake (and a specific mast step repair Q) If it's more, fill the tube with until it's 14" and then drop a SS wear plate in. Fill the space between the sides of the tube and plywood base with a mix of resin/filler.. peanut butter consistancy. There are a number of good threads on here that explain everything - use the search and search on "Mast Step Repair". Mast step/tube repair Here is what i ended up doing. thickened resin around base and the original bottom to step strips to smooth out the gaps. fiberglass mat to fillet the base. 11x16 fiberglass cloth the bottom. 2" wide roll up the tube. fiberglass mat strips from bottom to step to bulk it up. fiberglass cloth strips from bottom to step. [email protected] The mast step box is the critical item. It tends to rot from a poorly sealed limber hole, which is not inspectable. Once the rot starts it will progress to the main bulkhead. The repair is very expensive and time consuming. The first external sign is usually a cracked mast step bracket. Mast Step repair Is that a picture of the bolt holes in your mast? If so you should be able to weld a plate to the inside and a thin plate to the outside. The stress while the mast is up is mainly compressional and does not rely on the bolts. The bolts only prevent lateral movement. The most stress as you have undoutedly found occurs when raising and lowering ... Sunfish mast step repair... If the step broke that high up in the tube, it seems like your mast might not have been getting to the bottom of the tube. Was/is there something stuck in the tube? I fixed a laser by installing a two inspection ports in the deck. It was hard to work in, but I got it done. I spiral wrapped the shit out of the tube with wet fiberglass cloth. Laser Mast step repair Laser Mast step repair. Discussion in 'Sailboats' started by Bigfork, Jul 26, 2016. Joined: Dec 2009 Posts: 76 Likes: 9, Points: 8, Legacy Rep: 17 ... Because this is just a crash-about boat I've decided against big operation-like the mast step repair kit. Since the tube/deck relationship is only about 30% compromised, I got a new plan. ... Major Mast Step Repair Finally, there will be some flex at the mast-boat meeting point, but you don't really want that. The more rigid it is here the better. ... Major Mast Step Repair - Advice Please. What about placing a truss underneath the mast that would attach to the bulkhead on each side. This would serve to transfer the mast load from the deck to the bulkheads. Laser Mast Step Replacement I finished my mast step repair (my Dad's 1974 Laser) using the Diversified kit, and got the boat back in the water. If anyone is interested to see the process, there are photos (many, many photos) with descriptions at: Laser Mast Step Repair. If you are experienced with fiberglass repair, you will likely get a good laugh - I started with zero ... mast step repair I had a failure of my backstay, the mast fell forward, riping out the mast steps 4 large bolts from the boat.The mast is fine as is the mast step, but an area of 7 X 7 inches where the mast step ripped out is a mess of plywood core and fiberglass, anyone repair something like this? Any... Mast Step Mast Step. 09-29-2022, 11:55 AM. I need to make a new mast step, the old one is mush and the rig will not hold tension. In the long run its alright as I wanted to refinish the mast at some point. So I'm farming for information on this operation. The mast is 34' tall and about 7" diameter old growth fir. The step is two-piece, a long bottom ... Module Master Get in touch with us. 2006 S Main St. Moscow, Idaho 83843. USA. Mon - Thurs, 8am - 4pm PST. (208) 892-0764. Module rebuilds for darn near everything: ABS Modules, Climate Control Modules, Instrument Clusters, Power Accessories, Powertrain modules and more. Mast Step Repair I will be pulling the mast this winter on my 1980 Hunter 30. It has what I think is a typical problem of compressed deck and a dropped floor which lowers the mast an inch or two and causes all kinds of rigging problems.\u000BWhen pulling the mast is the mast wiring connected by plug-ins? Will the... Lightning Sailboat Lightning sailboat, 19ft. Fiberglass,custom trailer, cover for when mast is up, another cover for when mast is down. Three sails, jib, main, spinnaker, removable outboard motor mount. Fast fun sailing. Phone show contact info Laser Mast Step Repair (not A Kit) This is a short video slide show on a Laser mast step repair. Very easy and very quick. This was a dry older boat that was purchased for $200. It weighed in at just over 130 lbs. Repair took just two days and was sailed the following day. It is a very fast boat. I have three lasers and this boat is my favorite sail! We named it "Open Heart". Boat Maintenance Repair in Moscow, ID 1. Dale's Boat Service. Boat Maintenance & Repair Boat Dealers Outboard Motors. 59 Years. in Business. (208) 882-2124. 2211 S Main St. Moscow, ID 83843. 2. Catalina 30 mast step compression post collapsing Apr 7, 2020. #2. The beauty of fiberglass is that it can always be repaired. Judging from how the deck and hull liner collapsed around the compression post, the problem is a wet core in the area of the mast step. The place to look first is the deck and how wet the core is. Eventually to do the repair the mast will need to come down. U.S. Attack Sub Pulls into Australia for Repairs in Early AUKUS Step That maintenance will include a routine swap of the boat's mast, a simulation to take out a pump that would weigh about 1,500 kilograms, the replacement of a hydraulic valve and planning to ... Mast Step and deck repair Wanted to Sail Bought a 4 by 4 piece of 3/8 marine plywood and some West systems products. Made a mast step out of 5 squares, glued together with West, then hole sawed out a 3" hole. Cut a 6 " wide piece with a 3" hole for the upper mast tube support, also glued in. Measured and mounted mast tube in step and upper mount. Cut and installed a 2" wide support from the dagger board to mast step. Repairing a crack in the mast step Ground out the upper area with wire brush on drill. Laid in a couple of 2" strips of wetted fiberglass mat around the diameter, using colloidal silica as thickening agent. Stuffed the area behind the strips with fiberglass mat and epoxy. Made sure the diam. stayed bigger than the pvc pipe. Mast sheaves on O'Day 32 Do anybody knows dimensions of halyard sheaves on the top of the Mast in O'Day32? I mean diameter and width. catamaran gulet motorboat powerboat riverboat sailboat trimaran yacht