Found the source of my cabin leak it’s in the mast step. Need some advice

[Mattlikesbikes]

Went to the lake this afternoon to measure the hatch plate to replace it and noticed the mast light connector was loose.  I noticed some crazing around the connector and mast step when I got the boat and figured I would address it over the winter. Well I wish I addressed it while the boat was in my drive way

I took off the connector and checked the plywood and it was wet and coming apart at the location of the hole.  I am sure it has been this way for a while.  Compression post is solid and in great shape.

I was thinking for now get the antenna connector off .The screws on that are soft and where starting to strip when I tried to get it off today.  Once off I will fill both holes with Marine-Tex.  Then in the off season pull the mast tabernacle drill some holes in the mast step to check the plywood and if it is soft use some sort of penetrating epoxy and inject it in the holes. I found some threads dealing with the CP16 mast step and that sounded like the easiest thing to do.

What do you guys think?  Am I going about this the right way?

Right now I have duct tape covering the hole (only thing I had on the boat)

[skip1930]

Common problem. It's even a bit of a rush when your putting your buddies mast up on his CP-19 only to have the tabernacle screws break away with the mast half up while on your shoulder

O.K. slight delay.

Pull the mast out of the tabernacle. Pull the tabernacle out of the roof. Go over to West Marine and buy four 1/4-20 bolts long enough to go through the tabernacle, the roof, and have enough thread to start a washer and nut, 8 flat washers, 4 finishing washers, these are the ones that the mast sits on in the tabernacle. And 4 acorn nuts to replace the temporary nuts once the extra threads are broken off and the 'old' nut backed off thus re threading the bolt for the acorn. And two or three large bottles of Marine-Tex, stop at home and load up an extension cord, a drill motor, a few drill bits, some rags, an empty wide mouth nut can for mixing Marine-Tex, and some wrenches.

When you drill the tabernacle holes, you'll drill through the overhead cabin light, and have three bolts surrounding the compression post. No big deal.

Clean out all the loose stuff, don't care if it's moist or dry. Can't do much about that now if you want to stick the stick up and go sailing this afternoon.
Fill EVERYTHING with Marine-Tex top side and smooth it flush with the cabin top and bolt the tabernacle down. Push your bolts through and start your nuts inside with washers and clean up any mess.

Two hours later go sailing. That was five years ago. Still A.O.K..

skip.