Question on Mast Step

[David]

Do the majority of you have a mast step/tabernackle that looks like this.  See link(hope it works).
http://s1010.photobucket.com/albums/af225/Compac16/Mast%20Step%20Tabernackle/      Double click on a picture to enlarge it.

The front two lag bolts, about one inch long, just go into the wood and do not extend into cabin roof.  The back two closest to hatch are bolts that go all the way through into cabin roof area with washers and nuts.  

Having glass work done on boat keel now, and repair person said not to worry about stresss cracks as they were caused by stess from holes being drilled for mast step bolts that were to large.  See pictures with stress cracks.

Have read that water will get in and rot wood underneath.  He said just to cover area with something like 5300.  Do not remember exact number.

Is this mast step correct for the 16 or if replacement will it work?   Will just covering the stress cracks with whatever he wants to put on them seal out the water like he said.

Comments will be appreciated.   Person doing work has 17 years experience with fiberglass repair and is located in Mobile, Al.

Thanks, David

[KPL]

David,
My mast step looks similar, but has a vertical closed slot, so I actually have to take the bolt completely out to remove the base (not open slot like pictured.  There are four bolts that extend into the cabin and have locking nuts.  The boat is a 1982.  Not sure if that's factory install or later mod.  Looks to be sealed with 3M 5200.

Kevin

[JBC]

David,

Kevin is right about the closed, vertical slot.  Actually, I would worry a bit about that open slot in terms of how well the mast was secured.  At the very least, the closed slot makes it easier for one person to raise the mast, as once the bolt is in place with the mast still lying aft on a crutch, it is much easier to go back and "walk" the mast up into position from the cockpit.

jbc

[buckaroo]

I now have much more experience than I want to have with mast steps on the 16, so I can tell you that yeah, your arrangement is non-standard.  The tabernacle is not through-bolted in the cabin roof out of the factory-- the idea is that in the case of a dismasting, the screws holding the tabernacle to the step will pull out, minimizing damage to the roof and requiring a relatively easy repair.  And it looks like someone cut down your tabernacle, perhaps for ease of mast removal.

If you want to see the results of water getting into your mast step, have a look at my previous thread: http://cpyoa.geekworkshosting.com/forum/index.php?topic=4012.0.  In this case a large void between the fiberglass skin and the wood core (because of a bubble in the filler during manufacturing) allowed water to collect and ruin the core.  Since that thread started I've removed the entire core, and am just waiting for good weather to put the new one in, but the photos that are there will give you an idea of what's under the glass.  As soon as my repair is done I'll be posting more photos.

[David]

Kevin, JBC, and Buckaroo. 

Thank you very much for your replys.