Project Mast Leak

Manna was in pretty good shape when we purchased her.  But... as any boat owner can tell you there are always projects to be done.  Although having low hours and very well taken care of, most of the boat is original from 1993.  So as we prepare to head south down the western North American coast fall of 2017, there will be quite a few project posts mixed in with actual sailing posts.



Winter in the Northwest...Rain Clouds

 

This first project post is a common problem for keel stepped masts or through the deck mast installations.  Leaking around the boot that seals the deck thru hole for the mast.  Knowing our mast boot was probably original from 1993 I tried a temporary fix of tape during some heavy rain periods.



"Emergency" repair tape and electrical tape could not stop the drips

The tape did not slow down the leak very much and after closer inspection I found small holes in the mast boot.  Knowing I would not be able to get a replacement boot locally, I sought another temporary solution.

After some internet searching I came upon a solution that worked very well for our rainy Northwest climate.  A couple $4 wax rings from the local Ace hardware store did an excellent job.  After a month+ the mast is still dry!  I am almost thinking this is a permanent fix!



Our local Ace hardware store is a great source for all sorts of supplies!

The wax was easy to form and surprisingly not to gummy.  It flowed well with finger pressure and did not stick to my hands at all.  I imagine this would not be so simple in warmer climates, so be warned if you are thinking of doing the same thing in the Bahamas.  It may still work, but you may need some sort of wax release sprayed on your hands... or rubber gloves.

Not a sculpting master piece, but I was going for function over art

Julie would have made it prettier, but I am happy it stopped the rain.  Also, I am not sure how well the wax will hold it's shape in warmer climates.  I should test my installation by taking some of the wax and putting it in an oven at 100 degrees F just to see if it turns into a puddle.  That would be a bummer if my dry mast started dripping wax instead of water!

 Happy New Year!