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 Post subject: Mast questions
PostPosted: Tue Aug 01, 2006 10:17 am 
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Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Tue Jul 22, 2003 8:59 am
Posts: 20
I'm getting some water in my mast despite my careful and thorough application of 3M 5200 sealant. My half-baked plan is to remove the mast base, fill the mast while on the trailer past the spreaders and see where water drips out.

Any comments on this plan of mine? Any better ideas?

I'm really trying to avoid removing and reinstalling the comptip. That just sounds like a project that I don't want to do. Lots of rivets, melting epoxy, getting everything back together again... I can just picture the tang coming loose under load...

Where are the foam plugs located in an h18 mast? I'm assuming that I will be able to pull out the lower one. Is that correct? I'm wondering how the upper one will foil my plan to test for leaks by filling with water.

If someone wants to talk me into removing the comptip, go ahead. I'd like to hear what to watch out for or if it's possible to ruin the comptip while trying to melt the epoxy.

Thanks in advance,
Todd


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 Post subject: Leaks
PostPosted: Tue Aug 01, 2006 3:18 pm 
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Joined: Tue May 27, 2003 12:44 pm
Posts: 15027
Location: Oceanside, California
Drill a rivet out and inject air pressure. Use soapy water to find the leak. Bubbles will form from the escaping air.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Aug 01, 2006 3:30 pm 
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Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Wed May 17, 2006 7:49 am
Posts: 1053
Location: North Carolina
Foam plug is at the rotater/diamond connection. I take mine to the local marina and put it in the water off the dock side and watch for bubbles. Mark with a "sharpie" and seal when you get home. I've never had much trouble with the tip leaking, usually the rig tang or rotater area


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 5:54 am 
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Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Tue Jul 22, 2003 8:59 am
Posts: 20
Thanks for the feedback. I can try the airpressure tactic first. That would definitely save some work! I've tried to use the soapy water technique to find hull leaks in the past and haven't had any luck. Not enough pressure or water not soapy enough... who knows...

Is there a plug at the top of the mast as well? It must be below the tang since that rivets into the comptip.

As for the rotator, is there really a way to seal this area? I put some nylon washers with sealant between the rotator hardware and the mast. I can't imagine that it stays water tight though after some use.

My real goal is to turtle often. Every capsize is a turtle for me now which shakes my confidence when out with the kids or doing a distance race. I've got a distance race on Leech Lake in northern MN in a couple of weeks and will be many miles from shore and support boats.

Your help and suggestions are appreciated. I'll keep checking in. If you have more comments or suggestions I'll take them!

Thanks again,
Todd


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 6:28 am 
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Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Wed May 17, 2006 7:49 am
Posts: 1053
Location: North Carolina
Your doing something to go turtle everytime. I flip mine on its side and dive off the upper hull for hours, never turtles. My guess is your staying on the upside hull too long when capsizing. As soon as the mast hits water you should be looking for an exit between the tramp and boom. Get off quickly and get on the downside hull. Get the mast pointing into the wind and she should stay there. Wind on the back of the tramp can force you turtle. Unless your comptip is full of water you shouldn't have that problem. I haven't seen a comptip off in a long time but seems to me its full of foam or something, not hollow. If thats the case it could be saturated and heavy. The rotator area can't be adequately sealed, it is above the water on a capsize unless you go turtle. The boat shouldn't want to go turtle on its own. Its designed to stay on its side.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 10:02 am 
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Joined: Thu Jun 23, 2005 12:55 am
Posts: 353
Location: Rapid City, South Dakota
Actually if the mast is taking on water at the top it will naturally want to turtle everytime. I have the same problem with my mast and I am working on getting it fixed. I am planning on pressurizing the mast from one of the rivets at the top of the mast and using soapy water.
Good luck.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 1:35 pm 
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Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Wed May 17, 2006 7:49 am
Posts: 1053
Location: North Carolina
Tom,
The only time the tip can take on water is when its in contact with water. If the boat goes turtle upon the first capsize then it must be water thats allready in the tip. It can't draw it in fast enough to make the boat turtle upon impact. If left on its side for long, yes it could take on water and turtle. I understand that this boat goes turtle every time it capsizes. So, either water is trapped in the tip or the tip is somehow water logged. It can't happen any other way.


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