sealing tang holes, mast water leaks

[jjoiner]

Hi, I have a mast with tang fittings and internal halyards. It is keel stepped and I get a lot of water in my blige from the mast. I'll use spar tight for the external leaks and maybe a mast collar just for good measure. Is it okay to use caulk for the tang holes in the mast? I have 4 sheaves at the base of the mast for halyards to exit to turning blocks on the deck. Should I fabricate a dam just below the halyard exits? Would I have to pull the mast for a dam fabrication? Thanks. James

[Ian McColgin]

Maybe a mast collar? Does this mean that you have no boot to seal the hole where the mast goes through the deck or cabin top? You really cannot get "a lot of water" down the inside of the mast even with lot's of miscelaneous holes, but quite a bit of water does run down the outside mast walls and will flow quite happily into your bilges if you don't do something about that.

I don't really like the pour in place mast wedging systems though some folk do. They can make for a real pain stepping and unstepping the mast and they are not watertight so you still need a boot. There are rubber boots that are suitable for plastic boats with tin masts and are very easy to install. So if no boot, try that first. May be about 99% of the problem right there.

G'luck

[Robbie.g]

as ian points out spartite is not a sealant it is a chocking system, although correctly installed it usually seals the mast at the collar but only at installation time after the mast has been out once the spartite collar join needs some proper sealing. [sealant + boot etc]
as for the internal seal, the best solution is an internal dam pushed up from the bottom when the mast is out, and then when the mast is in, pour sealant on to the dam via a hole in the mastwall. i have used Duram 195 successfully many times. Dam should obviously be above the partners, so the water can drain onto the deck.
Good luck.

[Brion Toss]

Hi,
I have on occasion made a dam by inflating a balloon inside the mast, just below the lowest exit. The trick is to have inflated enough to be firm, but little enough that you can work it down into position. With the balloon in place, heel the boat away from the exit a bit, and pour/pump in your sealant until it is level with the bottom of the exit. The result is a sloped dam that guides the water out.
Fair leads,
Brion Toss

[Patrick_Seattle]

Originally Posted by Brion Toss

Hi,
I have on occasion made a dam by inflating a balloon inside the mast, just below the lowest exit. The trick is to have inflated enough to be firm, but little enough that you can work it down into position. With the balloon in place, heel the boat away from the exit a bit, and pour/pump in your sealant until it is level with the bottom of the exit. The result is a sloped dam that guides the water out.
Fair leads,
Brion Toss

That is a really awesome idea. What did you use for the sealant?

Thanks,
-p

[Ian McColgin]

That is an awesome solution. Being a woodenboat guy with wooden sticks, I settle for a weep hole in the mast's butt.

[Brion Toss]

Hi again,
Spartite works, with a stiff enough balloon. But I've also just pumped in caulk, with a bit of tubing for reach. Glad you like the idea. Can't remember where I saw it first.
Fair leads,
Brion Toss