Mast boot sealing

[RyanC]

On my old Pearson I stuffed toilet ring wax between the mast after it was properly wedged, this essentially seals off the mast w/out the boot. The boot then had a thin bead of silicone where it met the mast and a large hose clamp creating a tight seal. This all worked well over 6 years, just a bit if a mess when you need to un-step and have toilet wax streaking down the lower part of the mast. Rainwater coming down the inside of the mast is a different challenge that i never solved. . .

[Jd1]

I took as much of the old silicone off as I could (without spending hours on it) and applied liberal amounts of new stuff between boot and mast before tightening the giant hose clamp over top of the mess. Now I just have to hope for the rain to hold off for 3 hours.
I had a look at the wedges and they are rubber and look as good as new. They were mostly loose and I decided that I really didn't want to mess with the rigging in order to get them tight (by tightening one side, forcing the wedges in the opposite side, loosening up and repeating). There are about 6 or 7 wedges in there.

[Blue Stocking]

This info may be of some use onboard.
The silicone that you see between sheets of glass in mall storefronts is not always injected in with a gun.
It can be had in rolls of silicone tape from commercial glass installers.
Dow, 3M, and Canadian maker TremCo manufacture, IIRC.

[lancelot9898]

I also have a leaking mast boot and just last week I replaced the sunbrella boot with the self bonding tape. It still leaks, but then that tape was in the original package for some 20 years so ...maybe that's the problem. I want to find something that will stick to silicon and try attacking it from that angle and then install bonding tape of more recent vintage. Note that my silicon is in the gap where normally people put the spartite. Goop makes a product that will repair vinyl seats and diving masks and just maybe that stuff will seal the silicon without me trying to dig it all out. Gorilla glue may also work??

[zeehag]

wood masts are different a s you do not want them air tight-- need airflow to prevent rot.
the rubberized sunbrella is awesome and i have no leaks either mast anymore --even in tropical storm situations...hooyaaahhh.....silicone between the material and wood mast, hose clamp to make it remain sealed--is all good.
aluminum masts are diffeent-- is possible to seal well without worry abou t wood rot due to airtight situation-- you just have to worry about corrosion of the mast under the barrier.

[Blue Stocking]

Hervey Garrett Smith's book, The Marlinspike Sailor, has a detailed section, page 107, with typical drawings, of how to make a proper mast boot.
I used his design on my Friendship sloop, and it lasted 20 years.

[Driftwoods]

Originally Posted by Jd1

Since silicone is apparently verboten on a boat...

What's the problem with silicone?

[xymotic]

Originally Posted by Driftwoods

What's the problem with silicone?

Silicone does not adhere well, does not last, and it goes into the pores of fiberglass making it very hard for other products applied after to adhere.


IMHO Silicone should not be used on a boat, ANYWHERE, EVER.