Spartite

[imagine2frolic]

That name looks familiar Gord. It has been nearly 15 years, and the memory is a wee bit weak these days with age........i2f

[hellosailor]

Lancelot, what kind of caulking are you going to use that cures when it is one to four inches thick?

Spartite is used to form a plug between the mast and mast partners, and that's usually a gap anywhere from 1/2" to four inches wide, in order to allow the past to be positioned and raked properly in the deck. It replaces the wedges normally used for positioning the mast, as well as sealing the hole.

Caulk is for caulking, not positioning masts in decks.

[lancelot9898]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Lancelot, what kind of caulking are you going to use that cures when it is one to four inches thick?

Spartite is used to form a plug between the mast and mast partners, and that's usually a gap anywhere from 1/2" to four inches wide, in order to allow the past to be positioned and raked properly in the deck. It replaces the wedges normally used for positioning the mast, as well as sealing the hole.

Caulk is for caulking, not positioning masts in decks.

Actually the mast is dead on vertical and not raked. I put the caulking in around 10 years ago and all I remember is that it was a GE product and bought at a hardware store. I too thought about the curing problem for a large bead(used the entire tube in the caulking gun), but remembered many a tube solidifing right in the tube itself(the whole tube not just the nozzle) after only a short period after cutting the nozzle. Plus the gap is no more than an inch wide around the mast. I've spoken with the spartite people at the boat shows, but they don't seem that well versed in the engineering aspects being mostly sales types.

[lancelot9898]

I helped a friend put spartite around his mast some 5 years ago and if I remember right there are instructions to use wax paper around the edges of the deck(while the spartite cures) to allow the mast to come out of the boat with the spartite intact around the mast. That seems to be an advantage for its use. IMHO

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by GordMay

John:
Might the alternative mast boot seal product have been:
Flexane® 80 Liquid (Devcon)
➥ ITW Devcon | Flexane® 80 Liquid

Yes, it is. Before Spartite started repackaging it, we purchases Flexane 80 from WWGrainger (wholesale industrial suppler) to do the job of replacing the old wooden wedges - partners that held the mast in position as it passed through the cabin top.
- - We would cut thin plastic rigid sheet to form a base inside the cabin around the mast hole. Then mix and pour the Flexane in from above. After it cured we would remove the plastic from inside the cabin and install teak trim around the mast. The installation I did on my boat has lasted 15 years so far.

[badadim]

5 years into Spartite and no leaks.



I will let you know how it goes with unstepping the mast one day (hopefully later not sooner). A friend of mine had to drill and cut it to unstep his mast - that layer of vasiline did not help. But I prefer to mess with it in the future since mast unstepping is a major work anyway instead of chasing leaks from time to time.


I am also thinking about using Spartite to seal chainplates. Here is the dedicated thread: https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...-new-post.html


How dumb do you think it is?

[slug]

Originally Posted by lancelot9898

I helped a friend put spartite around his mast some 5 years ago and if I remember right there are instructions to use wax paper around the edges of the deck(while the spartite cures) to allow the mast to come out of the boat with the spartite intact around the mast. That seems to be an advantage for its use. IMHO

Use Vaseline on mast and mast partners

Imbed a piece if string or SS wire in the spartight so that you can cut it out in future

[badadim]

Originally Posted by slug

Use Vaseline on mast and mast partners

Imbed a piece if string or SS wire in the spartight so that you can cut it out in future

Sting or SS wire is a very good suggestion! Thank you!

[Discovery 15797]

When properly installed you do not use wax paper on the partner so you can later remove the mast; you use a release agent on the partner. (A release agent prevents bonding to the partner.)

When properly installed you do not use vaseline or a release agent on the mast. You want the Spartite to adhere to the mast; that is why is it a waterproof barrier.

When properly installed you create a slight lip of spartite that extends over the partner so you do not need to use a sealant. You should use a mast boot to make it watertight. (As well illustrated in Badadim's photos.)

This is all true assuming the partner is not some weird design that is angled so it is larger on the bottom as opposed to the top side.

[badadim]

Originally Posted by badadim

5 years into Spartite and no leaks.



I will let you know how it goes with unstepping the mast one day (hopefully later not sooner). A friend of mine had to drill and cut it to unstep his mast - that layer of vasiline did not help. But I prefer to mess with it in the future since mast unstepping is a major work anyway instead of chasing leaks from time to time.


I am also thinking about using Spartite to seal chainplates. Here is the dedicated thread: https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...-new-post.html


How dumb do you think it is?

So, the mast has been unstepped in October 2021 - it went out extremely easy to my surprise! The Vaseline included with Spartite kit did all the job - never underestimate Vaseline!