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| Water in mast AND Comptip http://www.hobie.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=45284 |
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| Author: | Macboy [ Tue Oct 09, 2012 12:15 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Water in mast AND Comptip |
Took down our club's Waves yesterday to put them to bed for the winter and found what feels like about 2 litres of water in the mast and perhaps half a litre in the Comptip. The mast is drip dripping slowly laying down the staircase in our house here but the Comptip isn't draining at all. The condensation line (water level) on the lower mast, when inverted on the stairs to drain was about three feet up. How deep is the plug in there? Subtract the two and that's how much water we had. I know there are several threads here on water in the mast and what to do but I haven't heard of many "This is what I did" and it hasn't been an issue since. Any help is appreciated. In our region where winter hits this issue is terribly inconvenient. Worse, we froze up last night for the first time. If I hadn't gone out we might have blew the mast the very same day we were to have taken it down! We'd like to just drill a hole or two in the luff track and be done with it. Is there anything wrong with this thinking? Or why not a larger hole that we "plug" with a machine screw much like the screws used to attach the halyard/downhaul cleats? Will that weaken things? Is there a braze-on behind those screws that we can't see? I just can't believe how much water is in the mast - it's certainly from the rain bleeding in somehow but I have no idea how the water got in the Comptip (never been tipped/flipped/turtled). Looking for a permanent, low maintenance solution here. These boats are the entry level boats for our members and don't always have experienced hands looking after them. Split one mast last winter already. |
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| Author: | IndyWave [ Wed Oct 10, 2012 8:40 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Water in mast AND Comptip |
I drilled a couple tiny holes in mine, several years ago, and have never had any problems since. The tiny holes near the bottom of each mast section, and left open, let the water constantly seep out, so it doesn't accumulate in the mast. Larger holes plugged with a screw would have to be re-opened to drain. I also drilled a tiny hole just above the top plug in the lower section, so water doesn't get trapped in between the sections. With the Hobie Bob, the mast barely even gets wet in a capsize, and the tiny holes would only let in a few drops if it did. |
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| Author: | BANDITO [ Wed Oct 10, 2012 10:57 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Water in mast AND Comptip |
Sorry you're talking about 2 piece mast, because here in Europe this solution is an option and the Euopean mast is only one pice. Thanks. |
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| Author: | Macboy [ Wed Oct 10, 2012 11:45 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Water in mast AND Comptip |
Am I safe to assume a few small holes won't compromise the integrity of the masts? And does anyone know the height of each plug (top and bottom of main mast, and bottom of Comptip). I was actually thinking of just augering a small 3/16 hole up through the foam plug in the bottom of the Comptip. I'd then also read you can put a hole in the lower mast section an inch below the luff track opening. Does that clear the plug inside? One drip at a time, these things are going to take all winter to drain. Pretty sure the wife doesn't want them int the staircase that long ; ) |
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| Author: | IndyWave [ Thu Oct 11, 2012 5:17 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Water in mast AND Comptip |
When I said tiny, I mean the smallest bit in the set, maybe 1/32 or 1/64. This won't affect structural integrity. The mast base casting extends only about an inch, maybe 1.5 inches, up into the lower section; but I'm not sure about the comp tip. I hang my mast sections horizontally from the garage ceiling. Once the water is spread out, it won't split the mast if it freezes. With the low humidities of wintertime, it dries out pretty quickly. |
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| Author: | Macboy [ Thu Oct 11, 2012 10:38 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Water in mast AND Comptip |
Thanks Indy. I actually have a base casting here for our Getaway and you're right on - it's no more than an inch and a half. But I've heard there's a foam plug just above that. Does anyone know or has anyone read what the length of the foam plugs in the mast sections are? I just drilled a tiny hole up through the bottom foam plug of the comptip and though a good deal of water dripped out, when I carefully listen to the sloshing of the water inside it sounds like there is another barrier a couple feet up from the bottom foam plug? If that stuff is just that expanding foam kinda stuff perhaps there's a knurly blobbly bit above where the foam began to adhere and plug? I drilled up a good 8-10". Still haven't drilled the base piece. Kinda hoping to hear about the foam plug lengths before I do lest I drill right into and need to make a second hole. I'd rather only put one hole in if I can. |
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