C&C 27 Association Forum

bjarki

Member

Mast Step Removal

Does anyone have experience removing and resealing the mast step plate on a Mark 3? I found some water dripping through this spring and want to remove the mast step mounting plate. There are 4 bolts. The 2 aft bolts are very accessible, but the forward bolts (countersunk) seem to go into an inaccessible area in the boat. There is a possibility they attach to captured nuts, but I do not really want to chance it.

Any suggestion from someone who has had to do this before?

Bjarki Hallgrimsson
SKAL CC M3

bosco

Member

Re: Mast Step Removal

Hi Bjarki,
  I have had no experience removing the mast step, but I have experienced a ' drip' in this area . It turned out to be leakage , not through the mast step, but rather, water was passing through the aperture just a few inches aft of the mast step where the wiring for the mast systems passes though the deck. In my case , the water followed the wiring down and forward a few inches and dripped out of the cover plate which covers the aft rear of the mast inside the cabin.
Could this be your source too ?

Clare Jordan. Aragorn

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Clare Jordan,
Stormont Yacht Club,
Long Sault

davidww1

Member

Re: Mast Step Removal

I removed my mast step (to drill a mounting hole in the side) some years ago so my memory is hazy. I think the "inaccessible" bolts are in fact very long wood screws that extend into the bulkhead below. I didn't find any indication that there was water entry.

I second what Clare has said about the wiring holes. The bedding compound on the deck gland breaks down every few years, as does the wire-to-gasket seal in the gland.

David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV

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David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV

bjarki

Member

Re: Mast Step Removal

That is very good advice and it makes sense. I will try to investigate that further with a hose. Incidentally it has been raining today and no new water, kind of strange so perhaps it was really a winter accumulation.