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Cracks on mast support WITH PICTURES

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JP
Deckhand

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USA
4 Posts

Initially Posted - 03/27/2005 : 21:27:32

Ok just fiqured out how to post images. Thanks for the replys. Here is what we have. I dont know why the stress cracks are there but it seems to me that with a small crack in this area and water standing in the locker It will seep into that area and soak into the wood mast base. after that happens it will swell the wood block and create more cracks. Which I have outlined with paint program in black. I have peeled back the loose fiberglass and found that the bottome of the post was saturated. Am drying that area out now. But still do not know where the water is coming from due to the fact we havent had it in the water. The other concern is the crack on the trunk that I also peeled back to inspect. No mush, sounds solid but a hole in that area concerns me. SOOOOOO any ideas out there. I am obviously going to patch those areas with epoxy and roving materiaL but if there is water coming in from somewhere now would be a good time to find out. Especially sence we are borrowing the trailer and once its off were done like dinner. Any thoughts out there?? Thanks in advance.

Edited by - JP on 03/28/2005 19:11:55

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 03/27/2005 : 23:17:17

Jeff,

Congrat's on the new boat and welcome to the forum!

Now, about your cracks...The wood compression post inside the cabin simply sits on the fiberglass structure, it is not fiberglassed into the bottom of the boat. Inside the fiberglass structure, you'll find a small post glassed into the corner directly under the compression post, but this piece only adds strength to the structure. On my boat, this glassed-in piece doesn't even go all the way to the top beneath the compression post.

In the photo below borrowed from the Tech Tips, you can see the small glassed in post.

The cracks that you're describing, are they in the fiberglass structure that the compression post sits on or are they directly on the trunk like those shown in the [url="http://www.catalina25-250.org/tech/tech25/dragn2.html"]Swing Keel Trunk Fix[/url]?

As for the water in that compartment, it could come from a crack in the trunk like those shown in the Technical Tips, but the water could also be coming from the windows or a deck fitting. Since this boat is new to you, you should make sure that the keel trunk is sound.

Good luck.

Edited by - on

Happy D
Admiral

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921 Posts

Response Posted - 03/28/2005 : 19:57:22

Jeff,

Welcome to the forum and congrat's on the new boat.

What year is your boat?

The lower compression post on #0029 also has a [url="http://home.wmis.net/%7Edhapp/limbers/wood8.jpg"]crack[/url] running down the length of it. You can almost see it in this picture. Since this post is only under compression and won't see any side loads, I'm not worring about it. It looks like what your seeing is a crack in the gelcoat that got sprayed on the post.

Water also seeped out from under my lower compression post and it was alyways wet at the bottom of the post. Turns out it was water leaking from the starboard side bilge through to the port side. When I pumped the water out from under the starboard side bilge, the bottom of the post dried up.

Dave, I would be concerned that the lower post didn't go all the way up to the bottom of the settee to support vertical compression post load. I'd install a shim in there if it were mine. Just my two cents.
Dan

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 03/28/2005 : 20:57:28

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Happy D
 I would be concerned that the lower post didn't go all the way up to the bottom of the settee to support vertical compression post load. I'd install a shim in there if it were mine. Just my two cents.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Not only does this block not go all the way up to the bottom of the settee (it's about a 1/2" short) not much of it goes down to the hull.

These pictures borrowed from Mark Maxwell pretty much illustrate what the block looks like in my boat,

As you can see, the block has a curved cutout without much surface area making contact at the bottom. (I believe on my boat, this area is even smaller). This was probably done to all the blocks in the woodshop, regardless of keel type, to accommodate the swing keel housing. This cutout plus the gap at the top lead me to believe the dinette seat is tranferring the compression post load to the hull (like on my previous boat) with the small block simply acting as a stiffener.

Here's a link to [url="http://www.catalina25-250.org/forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=907"]a related topic concerning leaks and repairing the Douglas fir block.[/url]

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 03/28/2005 : 22:03:57

JP wrote...

"But still do not know where the water is coming from due to the fact we havent had it in the water. "

This is a common 'problem area' for water to collect on the C25... it will find it's way down there from any topside leaks. My boat had a 'waterline' in the sump there that showed that probably 6" of standing water had been sitting in there during the tenure of the previous (neglecting) owners.

Re-sealing all the deck fittings reduced my water influx tremendously. Rail stanchions, chainplates, mast base, cabin top rails, slides, windows etc & yada...
After all that, I still have a bit of rainfall intrusion that I'm convinced is coming in from the hull-deck joint.

The "Bristol" way to fix this remaining leak to remove the aluminum rub rail assembly and re-caulk the entire joint. The "Cowboy" way is to run a nice bead of 3M 101 along the top of the rub-rail.

As far as the appearance of the sump below the compression post... my boat looks exactly like yours. I think the 'cracks' are just superficial and are due to the differential movement of the hull relative to the block of wood. I am planning on the next haul-out to do some general 'beef-up' work in there with epoxy & cloth. Not that I think it's really necessary, but it gives me a warm fuzzy feeling.

I wouldn't be worried at all about the area on the other corner of the settee... I think it's just some sloppy finishing. It's not in a 'structural' area so I'd paint it and forget it.

Edited by - on

JP
Deckhand

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USA
4 Posts

Response Posted - 03/29/2005 : 10:05:57

Boat is an 83 model. glad to hear this wont be a major problem. we have had plenty problems with it already. can to us severly blistered, keel bolts falling out. So we have had our hands full drilling, fairing and painting.. better times ahead, right?

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