Leaking Around Base of Mast

[Tori]

We have a 77 S2 8.0 that we live aboard. We are in Florida so there are daily rains. During heavy rains she leaks each time we find the leaks and seal them they have been around railings, hardware etc. But there is a really really bad leak around the aft starboard side of the mast plate. It leaks down the side of the head and disks the carpet. Is this something we likely have to unstep the mast to locate? All the visible areas are sealed

[skipmac]

Not sure what you mean by the mast plate. Does the mast come through a hole in the deck and down to the keel or does the end of the mast sit on top of the deck with a pole inside the boat to brace it up?

[gonesail]

in jax today it has been heavy rain since noon .. nothing to do but wait for it to stop .. BUT NO LEAKS

[Tori]

It is a deck stepped mast so it is attached to the deck on a stainless steel plate and the isn't anything inside supporting it. It just happens to be directly over the head

[DeepFrz]

It is a deck stepped mast so it is attached to the deck on a stainless steel plate and the isn't anything inside supporting it. It just happens to be directly over the head

Ugh, I've seen boats like that and they are ugly. Does rainwater pool around the mast plate? If so you have a big repair job ahead of you. Its possible that rain runs down the inside of the mast and through a bolt hole that you can't see. In either case you will have to unstep the mast. It is also possible that you have a soaked core and the water is running in from someplace else. <shudder>
I once saw a beautiful Vancouver 27 that had no beam under the mast. I was wondering how long it would be before the mast came through the deck. The first thing that tipped me off was the pool of water around the base of the mast, second was the water in the bilge and up to the sole. Third thing I saw was a nice piece of teak lying on the galley cabinet that had once been glued to the underside of the deck, where a proper support beam should have been.

Oh, good luck...

[Tori]

Thanks for the input I thinks the idea of a bolt hole and water running down inside the mast is the most likely. The rain water doesn't pool or stand there and it only leaks during heavy rains not when we wash the boat etc.
Doubt if it is a soaked core the boat is in remarkable condition and there isn't mildew or anything I think this is a new leak

[DeepFrz]

Good, I will keep my fingers crossed for you. One other thing, how do the mast wires enter the boat? Check those out, maybe there isn't a proper gooseneck.

One other thing just came to mind, are there drain holes at the bottom of the mast? Maybe they are plugged?

[skipmac]

Is there nothing inside the boat under where the mast is stepped on the deck like bolts, a fitting, backing plate or something? Also am very surprised that there is no compression post (pole under the mast to support the load) unless the mast step is right over a bulkhead.

If there is nothing inside under the mast step are you sure it is leaking from the mast? If the mast is stepped on deck there should also be some fittings on deck near the step for the wires to pass through. This is a common area to find a leak.

[Tori]

The interior has a head liner of carpet so if there are fittings or a backing plate you cannot see them. There are places where bolts come through all over from rigging etc. But not in the immediate are of the mast it sits directly atop the corner of the head and the leak has to be coming from the mast or plate beneath it when I stops pouring I will get some pics of interior and exterior

[DeepFrz]

Oh good. You said it was directly above the head and I thought there was no support under it. It now sounds like it is supported by bulkheads.

[DeepFrz]

You now have a second consideration if the bulkheads are plywood, which they most likely are. How wet is the plywood and is there any delamination?

[Tori]

The plywood isn't that wet no delimitation this is the second time it leaked

[E.L.Green]

my mast is deck stepped, but also has a compression post aft of the V berth and abeam the partition to the head.

[zeehag]

to repair--similar to my ericson-- remove deck stepped mast. remove the dish like thing under mast. replace with new one. replace mast and fix the glass and core that was messed up. should cost around 2000 dollars. good luck.
you will also need to repair any interior mayhem caused by the leakage.
what happens is the dish under mast corrodes -- corrosion causes swelling of the dish.dish swelling causes cracking in fiberglass and leakage.
goood luck.
please post pix of repairs you do.

[Tori]

Zeehag since this is a new leak and it appears no damage has yet occurred that it is possible to unstep the mast and just seal the plate that is below it?
No interior damage yet and no warping or changes in the glass topside