[C38] floor cracks

Wed Jul 9 12:41:13 EDT 2008

When I was looking for my boat I looked at 30 boats before choosing
flybye. What I found was the boats in high wind areas had cracks in the
floors at a higher rate than low wind areas. On further investigation
the boats that had cracks used wood wedges to center the mast and had
loose rigging. The boats that weren't cracked used spar tight and had
usally bigger wire for standing rigging other than standard. I had two
boats checked that had cracks and drilled test holes in the wood bases
for rotten wood and they checked out ok so the cracking was caused by
other forces on those boats.

Alden Andre
Office: 877-550-FJ44(3544) or 503-618-1951
Cell: 503-929-8814
Fax: 503-907-5507
Email : alden at clifforddevelopmentgroup.com, or alden642 at comcast.net

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Subject: Listserve Digest, Vol 4, Issue 195

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Today's Topics:

   1. floor cracks base of mast. (William Knowles)
   2. Re: floor cracks base of mast. (Phil Gay)
   3. Re: floor cracks base of mast. (Tom T.)
   4. Cockpit layout (Steve Smolinske)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2008 11:21:50 -0700 (PDT)
From: William Knowles <william_k_19810 at yahoo.com>
Subject: [C38] floor cracks base of mast.
To: listserve at catalina38.org
Message-ID: <133274.86519.qm at web56013.mail.re3.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

While cleaning our bilge and shower sump area and head after much
nagging by the first mate I discovered that the floor at the aft base of
the mast had a large crack with a downward angle. I stuck my head in the
bilge and the post to the keel seems straight and strong. But a photo I
took looks as if there is a tab that attaches the floor to the post and
that seems to be cracked. Has anyone else had this problem?  The mast is
sound and appears straight the boat sails great. I do have photos but
the site would not allow me to post to large. Any ideas and  is this a
major or minor problem that can wait to winter haulout. Thanks in
advance for your help.

Bill Flying Goose

------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2008 11:43:18 -0700
From: "Phil Gay" <eyriepg at comcast.net>
Subject: Re: [C38] floor cracks base of mast.
To: <william_k_19810 at yahoo.com>,	"'Catalina 38 Listserve'"
	<listserve at catalina38.org>
Message-ID: <000701c8e12a$7d8d56f0$78a804d0$@net>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="us-ascii"

Please try to attach a photo.  It will be delayed until the list
moderator
can approve it, but you should be successful.  Also what year is Flying
Goose?

Phil Gay
C38 049 Que Linda
Everett, WA

-----Original Message-----
From: listserve-bounces at catalina38.org
[mailto:listserve-bounces at catalina38.org] On Behalf Of William Knowles
Sent: Tuesday, July 08, 2008 11:22 AM
To: listserve at catalina38.org
Subject: [C38] floor cracks base of mast.

While cleaning our bilge and shower sump area and head after much
nagging by
the first mate I discovered that the floor at the aft base of the mast
had a
large crack with a downward angle. I stuck my head in the bilge and the
post
to the keel seems straight and strong. But a photo I took looks as if
there
is a tab that attaches the floor to the post and that seems to be
cracked.
Has anyone else had this problem?  The mast is sound and appears
straight
the boat sails great. I do have photos but the site would not allow me
to
post to large. Any ideas and  is this a major or minor problem that can
wait
to winter haulout. Thanks in advance for your help.

Bill Flying Goose

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------------------------------

Message: 3
Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2008 15:02:22 -0400
From: "Tom T." <tdtron at earthlink.net>
Subject: Re: [C38] floor cracks base of mast.
To: "william_k_19810 at yahoo.com,	Catalina 38 Listserve"
	<listserve at catalina38.org>
Message-ID: <380-2200872819222218 at earthlink.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

Hello Bill,

It sounds like you have a soft mast step base.  I  had the same problem
a
few years ago.

The support between the hull and mast step is wood on our boats and it
can
soften with age from being in the wet bilge.  The only way I know to fix
the problem is to remove the mast.

The ordeal goes something like this:

1.	Mark a grid on the deck around the mast with tape so you can
reposition
the mast in the exact same spot, or if you want to make any adjustment,
allow for that with the tape grid because once you rebuild the mast
step,
you won't have any reference for replacing the aluminum mast step.

2.	Once you get the mast grid marked on the deck, spray PB Blaster
around
the aluminum mast step remove the mast.

4.	Remove the aluminum mast step if it's still attached to the
deck. (It
may have been pulled up with the mast if it was too badly corroded for
the
PB Blaster to release it.  

3.	Clean around the mast step and mark a line about one inch inside
the
recessed deck where the mast step was and cut this portion of the deck
out.

4.	Get a drill and augers and start trying to remove as much of the
soft
wood of the mast compression base as you can.  Finish with chisels and
hammer until the base is clean to the hull.

5.	Sand the area of the hull where the compression base was and
build a dam
using light wood to make a mold for a new compression base.  At this
point,
I installed 3 plastic electrical angles in the mold so I could route 3
ground wires to the bilge, one forward to a keel bolt and two aft to
keel
bolts and engine.  These conduits will also allow the new mast step to
drain any water directly to the bilge so the mast will not corrode in
the
future.

6.	Start laying up woven roving and resin until you have filled the
mold
making it flush with the old recess.  When you build to the height of
the
old deck, carefully finish laying up with finish cloth and grind it to a
perfect finish.  If you don't make the deck with some way of
repositioning
the step properly, you won't be able to get the mast back where it
should
be.

7.	Dress the mast step with a wire brush and install it on top of
the new
compression base.  The bottom of my mast was so corroded I had to cut
1/4"
off of the base of the mast to get a clean surface.  I cut a piece of
1/4"
aluminum plate to fit in the recess to compensate for the plate.  I
bedded
this plate to the deck and new compression base.  My deck step looks
like
anyone else's but there is aluminum showing around the base of the mast
instead of the original fiberglass.

Grease the aluminum mast step with a waterproof trailer bearing grease
once
you have it in place.  You will have to make  holes through the base for
any conduits if you elect to install any but in any case, allow for
water
to seep into your bilge so it can no longer accumulate in the mast step
causing corrosion.  If you don't install conduits in the lay up process,
you can drill a weep hole at an angle through the base plate and lay up
since the new compression base is totally glass and resin and no longer
vulnerable to moisture.  The original mast step had no provision for any
accumulated water to drain so corrosion is a problem.

8.	If you elected to install mast grounding wires, install then now
in the
mast and grease the connections well.  I grounded my aluminum mast step
to
a forward keel bolt and ran two very large electric cables aft through
two
conduits giving my mast three ground paths through the keel.  By using
plastic electrical conduit 90 degree angles in the base, you make any
ground wires have as large as possible radius improving lightning
protection.  I don't remember what size cable I used for my mast grounds
but they are about as large as my index fingers.

9.	Replace mast or get drunk, depending on your success.

I have some pictures of the procedure if you are interested.  It's a lot
of
work but fairly easy actually.  If you make your cut in the deck
slightly
smaller than the aluminum mast step, the finished project will not show
any
of your repairs.  You could prefab the new compression base and bed it
in
the hull if you want.  I formed mine in place but either way will work. 
Which ever method you use, I highly recommend building into the base the
electrical angles for both grounding wires and a drain for water.

Grounding out the old wood is a chore but the softer it is, the easier
the
project.  If you pre-drill the wood before chiseling like I did, use a
drill stop so you don't hit the hull and find a geyser shooting up from
your bilge.

Good luck,
Tom Troncalli
The Renata #95 

> [Original Message]
> From: William Knowles <william_k_19810 at yahoo.com>
> To: <listserve at catalina38.org>
> Date: 7/8/2008 2:21:50 PM
> Subject: [C38] floor cracks base of mast.
>
> While cleaning our bilge and shower sump area and head after much
nagging
by the first mate I discovered that the floor at the aft base of the
mast
had a large crack with a downward angle. I stuck my head in the bilge
and
the post to the keel seems straight and strong. But a photo I took looks
as
if there is a tab that attaches the floor to the post and that seems to
be
cracked. Has anyone else had this problem?  The mast is sound and
appears
straight the boat sails great. I do have photos but the site would not
allow me to post to large. Any ideas and  is this a major or minor
problem
that can wait to winter haulout. Thanks in advance for your help.
>
> Bill Flying Goose
>
>
>       
>
> _______________________________________________
> Listserve mailing list
> Listserve at catalina38.org
> http://catalina38.org/mailman/listinfo/listserve_catalina38.org
>
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> Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com 
> Version: 8.0.138 / Virus Database: 270.4.6/1540 - Release Date:
7/8/2008
6:33 AM
>

------------------------------

Message: 4
Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2008 12:12:19 -0700
From: "Steve Smolinske" <SSmolinske at rainierrubber.com>
Subject: [C38] Cockpit layout
To: "Catalina 38 Listserve" <listserve at catalina38.org>
Message-ID: <392501BCC93AAC4EA94D28D8DB1599221DD503 at sockeye.4M.local>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

I have a couple of posts held up by the moderator for size as well, so
Ill try to keep this to a short question without the aid of the pic or
drawing.  I dont like the way my cockpit is set up, mainly that the main
sheet and main halyard share the same winch.   Deck hardware includes on
the port two rope clutches and one lewmar 30, on the starboard one rope
clutch and a lewmar 16.   I am thinking that on the port is should go
spin. foreguy, spin t. lift, genoa hlyrd, main hlyrd, traveler,  then on
the starboard, traveller, mainsheet, vang leaving room on the deck
organizer for either cunningham or reefing, If this still makes sense
what is the starboard rope clutch intended for?  would you use it for
the mainsheet?

Steve Smolinske
President

4M Company, Inc.
15660 Nelson Place South
Seattle, WA  98188
425-227-4500
www.rainierrubber.com <http://www.rainierrubber.com/> 

The information contained in this email may be confidential and/or
proprietary in nature and is intended for the recipient of the email
only.  Please treat all information contained in this and any
communication with the 4M Company as such.  Thank you.

P Before printing, think about ENVIRONMENTAL responsibility

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