Cabin Step Mast

[JNBDeVore]

Recently purchased a 1977 30 Newport II. When I had the rigging tuned the tuner said that I had some sag in the cabin step mast area. This was not noted on the survey done one month prior. There is no cracking on the top, no damage to the compression post, and no sign of water in the cabin adjacent the mast area. You can see a slight indent in the mast step area when looking from the side across the cabin deck. Is there need for immediate remedy on this. I looked through the Marina and noted several other 70s vintage era sailboats with the same slight indent. And would anyone know if the core between the Compression Post and the Mast is seperated from the rest of the cabin top core by fiberglass. so as to isolate any damage to that area if some exists? Any help/advice is greatly appreciated.

[sailingfool]

It would be hard to believe that a builder would have core under a mast step! If you haven''t done so, you should try the Newport owners mail list, as I would expect nothing unique is going on with your boat...
Depending on what you hear,I''d consider getting the surveyor back and have him address the circumstance.

[JNBDeVore]

So between the mast and compression post there should only be glass? Wonder if glass over time just compresses over the loads put on that area. Thanks and I will look into Newport specs and see if it is glass and there is a normal indent in that area over time. Thanx again.

[Jeff_H]

It is not unusual for builders to core the deck under the mast with plywood, especially builders leaning toward the more slipshod side of things like Newport. Often these were merely plywood pads little larger than the maststep. The condition that you describe can be quite serious or relatively minor. In the minor case, the plywood has rotted a bit and crushed over time. This is a relatively easy repair made by removing the mast, cutting open the deck for access and then building up a solid glass pad that distributes the loads into the surrounding house structure. It is better to repair it now before the mast comes down through the cabin top.

In a more serious case the supporting structure below the mast is involved as well.

Jeff

[fairwind3]

Some of the Hunters that had masts stepped to the deck had offset the compression post below to make room for a doorway.I have fixed several with a stainless fitting to compensate for the offset.Turned into a head banger because it used up the upper left corner of the doorway.How many times can you hit your head before you learn to duck????The repair worked fine.No more lose rigging.A few knots to the head can solve the lessened space in the doorway.

[Freesail99]

Fairwinds this thread is 4 years old.

[sailingdog]

Freesail-

I think it was all the hits to the skull on the new fitting...