Help with water leak around mast stub on Eclipse.

[alsantini]

Hi everyone.  I pulled the 2007 Eclipse out of the water yesterday.  We have had 3 days of almost continuous rain.  The boat has  been very dry all summer, but this time I had water running down the mast inside the cabin.  Soaked some items plus the cushions in the aft part of the V berth (where the cushion goes around the mast)  I did not have time to investigate totally, but I assume there is just caulk under the collar at the base where the mast goes through the cabin roof.  Is this correct?  Is there a boot?  Any reason why I need to open up the inside the cabin end of the mast (another collar)? Any words of wisdom as to an effective repair?  I assume that all of us with mastender systems have the same collar system to keep the water out of the cabin.  Any and all advice appreciated.  Thanks  Al

[capt_nemo]

alsantini,

Sorry to hear about the water intrusion in way of the mast through the cabin top. Hope the damage was not too serious.

I had a very slight leak once on my NEW Sun Cat with mast lowered and the open hinged joint well covered. Stuck my head inside the forward bulkhead where it is dark, looked up where the mast goes through the cabin top, and SAW DAYLIGHT SHINING THRU THE SAIL SLIDE TRACK. Back on deck I grabbed my tube of caulk, stuck the small open end of the tapered conical screw-on adapter inside the track where it went into the deck, and squeezed a generous amount down into the void. It seemed to do the trick.

Generally speaking, it is hard for me to understand let alone accept the fact that quite a few Com-Pac boats, both young and old alike, are so prone to WATER LEAKS FROM SOMEWHERE! The opening ports seem to be the worst offenders with other likely and unlikely sources also represented. Is it not assumed that most Com-Pac sailboats will be stored on their trailers exposed to the ravages of the elements? Or certainly cruised for days on end, exposed 24/7 to the whims of Mother Nature? And further, that it is imperative that ALL installations be made waterproof in accordance with standard industry practice?

Is it lack of attention to detail in the construction process? Or perhaps lack of experience and/or knowledge on the part of the individual factory worker? Whatever the reason, in my opinion there appears to be a recurring problem in the area of QUALITY CONTROL.

capt_nemo

[Craig]

I agree with Don. Compacs are prone to be "leakers". Baffling, since otherwise the build quality  on Compacs is very good. I suspect the job of "caulker" does not attract(or pay for!) the highest level of craftsman. I am also not a fan of 3M 5200 as a caulk. Great adhesive but insufficient elasticity in a "working" enviornment.

[rbh1515]

Where do they tend to leak from?  I am planning on buying a Horizon Day Cat.  There afr only 2 ports, area where the mast comes thru the deck.  Hopefully there are not problems with the hull deck joint.
Rob

[Craig]

Hull-deck joint not a problem. Ports are the most common leak area. Should not be a problem on your HDCat. In any case Compac will correct any problem. Their customer service is second to none! All that being said any/all boats can leak sometimes. I cannot recall any(except the Hobie Cat [which was one big leak!] LOL) of my boats that did not develop a leak at some point. Water: Both a blessing and a curse for us sailors! Keel stepped masts have an built in tendency for seepage. Its the nature of the beast, hence this thread.

[Toolman]

Al,

I've experienced a similar situation with my Eclipse.  I suspect the sail slide track is the culprit.  I've never had much leakage, but I put everything under the quarter berths in plastic tubs, since that's where the leakage seems to end up.  I cover the open mast stub with duct tape when trailering.  I do think going 65 mph in Midwestern downpours is gonna make any boat leak to some degree...

[blocknshackle]

Ditto what Toolman said.  I applied a little caulk inside the base of the sail track and that cured my leak.

[capt_nemo]

WOW! That's three of us with sail track leaks. Does anyone else notice a pattern (problem) here?

capt_nemo

[Craig]

Yup! Me too. On both my Compac Mastender boats.