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Mast boot

chefrsp

chefrsp

Richard Pims
Just purchased Morgan 382, hull number 128.
I keep getting water intrusion leaking into the mast bucket.
Ive seen some similar threads, but am curious as to how people dressed this.
Im consider the Rig Rite mast collar, and the la shaped flange inside of it.
 
That Rig Rite collar doesn't form a perfect and complete seal. Keep in mind, there are holes for wiring in the very top of the mast that will allow rainwater to drain into the mast. The original anchor light mast is threaded into the masthead as well, and I'm sure the threads aren't tapered.

The base of the mast and the step plate are designed to allow water to drain... there isn't a perfect waterproofing solution IMO.
 
I have a split rubber ring that sits in the mast partner. A sunbrella skirt that prevents nothing at all from not coming down. I take gaffers tape around the top of the sunbrella and it works pretty well. When its a driving rain we get some waterdown leaking in the "ceiling"

I think its part of sailing a keel step boat.
Dave
 
I just wrap white shrink wrap tape around the collar at the partners up to the mast and make sure the tape is stuck well to the mast. Either 2" or 4" tape will work but the 4" is somewhat difficult to work with. Lasts all season and doesn't leak.
 
I like that Bill. I've never used it, is the tape adhesive or do you heat it to shrink?
Dave
 
The tape has a very strong adhesive, you have to be careful not to stick it to itself, I don't shrink it. I also use shrink wrap material to cover my boat for the winter. If you don't shrink it you can get many seasons out of the same piece.
 
before stepping my mast I use a piece of inner tube which I have made a center hole in and stretched that onto the mast. Of course I use the rubber mast ring. I lower the inner tube to the approximate height and coat the mast under it with non adhesive silicone. Then I lower the inner tube to make sure I have a silicone coating between the fit between mast and rubber inner tube. Then I dress it with shrink wrap tape for a nice clean look. I pull my mast every five years for a good going over. This set-up is dry. And stays dry. Of course I have to redo the shrink wrap tape every year, for neatness.
Larry
 
I too have a split white ring that came with the Morgan originally. Both Dave and Larry say they have the same item. Like Larry I also use inner tube to attach to the mast and go outside the deck fitting. On both the deck part and the mast I use large stainless hose clamps. On the one on the mast the inner tube is folded back over itself and led down to the deck level. The second clamp is there. In the seam which faces aft I use silicone sealant. Hasn't leaked in years.

As others have said the waters coming in through mast fittings as well as the wires at the masthead.

Dick
 
On my previous post I fail to mention that I use sunbrella fabric, matching the sail cover and dodger, spliced with Velcro to cover the inner tube.

Dick
 
I made a mast boot last summer with some epdm rubber roofing, similar to how DickKilroy said he used an inner tube.
The local lumber yard sells it for roofing, in a 10 feet wide roll and they cut off a 2 ft piece for me, so I had plenty of spare material to practice getting the pattern. I don't remember exactly but it was less than $20.
The pattern is sort of a big letter "C". I reused the two band clamps that came with the boat.
The lumber yards also sell a rubber roofing adhesive/sealant called Geocel 4500 Roof, which comes in a caulking gun tube for less than $10. I used that to make the seam where the ends of the piece overlapped.
I didn't put any sealant under the upper edge of the collar, but maybe that would have been good to do.

Steve
20210.jpg

epdm mast boot photo
 
There is an excellent article in "The Marlinspike Sailor" on how to fabricate a mast boot out of canvas, rubber, or sheet metal. It's not quite as simple as a big letter C.

The book is long out of print, but I'm lucky to have a copy.
 
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