Keeping water out of mast when mast is folded

[Peter Dubé]

Just wondering how owners are keeping rain water from going in the folded mast. I put a soda bottle over mine, but it's not very elegant. I have the hinges and mast light wires in the way. I cut slits in the bottle to fit around these.

I thought about some spray foam.

My boat is on my boat lift with mast folded while I work on it.

Peter

[Tom L.]

I made a very easy to carve Styrofoam plug that fits into the mast and overhangs the mast section about 1/2" all around. I hold it in place with a light duty shock cord. Not very elegant but functional.
I have seen a fabric cover that has draw strings on both ends to secure it to the upper and lower portions of the mast. It wraps around like the neck of a sail cover on both ends. It's probably available from Com Pac.

Tom L.

[kevnh]

I use a plastic bag and a bungee cord when I don't have a tarp over the whole boat.

I have thought of making something like this, with appropriate modifications for wires to go through:

http://www.sailboatrichlands.com/diyproj1.html

[Peter Dubé]

I think I will fabricate a water proof cloth cover, with a draw string for this purpose. Might even be able to store it inside the mast.

I love finding projects!. Boat projects, that is.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Peter

[Catawampus]

Similar to your soda bottle, I cut away part of a liquid laundry detergent bottle to make a cover for the mast stub. With the modified bottle upside down, the former handle of the bottle makes a good place to feed a line through for lashing the cover to the mast stub. A second bottle with a very similar cut away, lashed over the forward end of the folded mast, helps protect the boat cover from sharp metai edges.

[zippy4457]

I made a Starboard plastic plug and pounded it in slightly below flush.  Then I ran a bead of silicone around it. I also made a small plug for the mast track at deck level and built up a silicone dam around that to shed the water.  It took a little time to carve the Starboard for a tight fit but it wasn't bad. If I need to remove it I can pry it out with an awl.

I put the boat in a shed for the winter right after this project so I can't say how well it worked.

[Tom Ray]

My solution was to put a tent over the whole boat but for a couple of boats that live in my driveway out in the open, I went with a much simpler and less elegant solution:

Took a big, disposable aluminum casserole tray from Sam's Club and folded it over the hinge area. It's hideous but took seconds to install and will not be broken down by sun nor blown off by wind.

[suznhenz]

I was wondering- would a foam swimming pool "noodle" work? You could cut off a foot or so, use a razor blade to make it fit a bit better, and bend it in the middle, putting half in the top part of the mast, and half in the stub. if you cut a slit in it to stick the wires in, you might even be able to leave it in permanently, protecting the wires from pinch damage while lowering and raising the mast. I've seen some that might be thick enough to be a pretty good seal....Just a thought.

[Peter Dubé]

Suzn,

I think the swim noodle is an idea that is worth a try. It would be easy to carve to the right shape. May even use a piece of it on the top portion of the mast as a cover protector.

Peter Dubé

[suznhenz]

I just came back from working on my boat, and the one thing I see that would be a problem with the noodle is all those bolts inside the mast from the hinge and other fittings, which are not far from the open ends of the two mast pieces.  However, you could probably put slits in the foam to help it slide down some. At least the bolts would keep it from blowing off. Two short pieces that sort of look like mushrooms- wide at the top to help block water, and cut to fit inside the mast at the other end, would probably work pretty well, and a pool noodle is cheap.

Sue

[captronr]

Are you guys saying the stub part of the mast is open to the interior???

My boat's not close for me to check, but that seems to be a real shortcoming if it's true.

Don't keep a cover on your boat, and it get water inside, really?

Don't scare me here, please..................
Ron

[Peter Dubé]

Hi Ron,

Dont panic, its not a serious issue because it can be "fixed" several ways, but


Yes, with the mast folded the stub of the mast is open to the inside of the boat.  All you need to do is throw a bag over the stub to keep water out or seal it some other way.  Not really a big deal, as long as you know about it before it rains on a folded mast with the mast down.  And ... even if that happens, it not all that much water.

Peter