Coast 34 - Deck Stepped Mast?

[rodtremblay85]

Hi Cruisers,

Having a look at one of these tomorrow in NS Canada. https://www.kijiji.ca/v-view-details...teLocale=en_CA

In researching the boat, it looks like the owner finished interiors should have a thorough inspection, wide range of layouts, what jumps out at me is the deck stepped vs. keel stepped mast.

Intended use weekend / vacation cruising coastal, planning to sail Caribbean overwinter in a few years.

I am sure there will be a variety of opinions!

Thanks Rod

[slug]

If the mast and step is well engineered and well built a deck step is beautiful

A keel step mast always weeps water into the bilge

A deck step never allows water to enter the bilge

I hate wet a bilge

[roverhi]

What slug said. Mast failures are almost always the result of a shroud/stay failure. If an upper goes there will still be a stump of a mast to the spreaders left standing. Outcome will be the same for deck or keel stepped mast. If a lower or combination lower/upper failure the mast is collapsing overboard from the deck up. Would much rather have a deck stepped mast that can be relatively easily cut loose. With a keel stepped mast you'd have to hacksaw the mast to cast it off which won't be easy or quick.